twilight
by evabandmamber13
Summary: pre HBP 7th year. harry dates.. hermione dates ron, harry travels back in time,harry gets help from sirius even though he is still dead.oh and hermione also will become part... Enjoy RR last chp posted
1. chapter 1

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter One - Beginning

It was a hot, sunny Sunday in Privet Drive, Little Whinging, a day where no one in his or her right mind would take a step outdoors. However, on number four, a sixteen year old black haired boy sat outside, leaning against a tree trunk, salvaging what little shade that could be found, looking longingly into the tidy house in which an equally tidy family lived in.

Harry Potter, however, was not a normal child who was sent outdoors as a punishment for some misdoing on this scorching hot day, he was a wizard, and that fact alone earned him the spite and hatred of his last surviving relatives, the Dursleys.

The Dursleys, who prided themselves on being perfectly normal, treated Harry Potter as one would to bubble gum stuck on a sole of one's shoe.

Harry heard laughter, doors being slammed shut, and a car motor start. Those sounds meant that his detested relatives had finally gone out to dinner, meaning he could go back into the house.

Recently, the Dursleys had gathered with a nearby family, the Spellgoods, and quite often the two families had visited each other's homes and went out for dinner.

Harry, being the _freak_ he was, naturally wasn't invited to any of these social proceedings, in fact he was forbidden to show his face whilst any member of the Spellgood family was in the Dursley household.

This was why he had been sitting out in their back yard, hiding from sight.

The only explanation would be the fact that he was different, and the Dursleys did not want him to ruin the budding friendship the family had with the Spellgoods - Harry had heard that they were rich in influential in the society - naturally someone his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would like to associate themselves with.

Harry was living with his relatives, not by choice, but as his parents were murdered by the legendary Dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, who's servant had killed Harry's godfather a year ago - Sirius Black, the only parent figure he ever had to look up to.

Lord Voldemort himself was now furiously waging war on the magical community, and over the past year, the magical community was plagued by sudden attacks, however, everyone knew that the worst was yet to come.

Harry suffered through his summer vacation knowing only that in one week's time, he would leave Number Four, Privet Drive, and never return. In one week's time, he would be seventeen years old - the wizarding standard for being an adult.

Harry took off his shoes, gingerly stepped across the clean white tiled kitchen and strode upstairs to the bathroom, where he scraped off all the dirt that had cemented itself in his shoes.

Sweeping the scraps of dirt into the toilet bowl and flushing, he walked to his room.

Quickly placed them in his room, and ran off to take a shower.

As he dried himself off, he looked into the mirror, and noticed, for the first time, that he no longer was the little Boy-Who-Lived. He had grown up, fast approaching adulthood, yet he often thought of his first trip on the Hogwarts Express, where he met his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and his detested enemy, the snobbish Draco Malfoy.

Harry walked to his room, relishing the two hours of spare time he had before the Dursleys came back from dinner, deciding that he would make a start on his nastily long potions essay on Congeniality Droughts, when a tiny owl flew into his bedroom window.

There was a loud crack as the owl collided, forming a silk like pattern of cracks in the window.

Harry swore, and ran to the window.

As he opened it, the tiny owl flew dizzily, much like it was drunk, and collapsed onto the floor.

Harry immediately picked up the owl and placing it in Hedwig, his own owl's cage. Hedwig moved over in her cage to allow the dizzy owl a drink of water.

Disorientated, the owl knocked the water over, causing Hedwig to screech and Harry to cover his ears.

Replacing the water tray, Harry walked out of the room and opened the letter.

Harry smiled upon seeing the sender.

It was from Ron Weasley, his best friend from the wizarding school of Hogwarts, with enclosed with two boxes. He opened the letter.

_Dear Harry,_

_We're pretty busy here, doing you know what. Well, I can't say much in this letter in case it gets intercepted... Anyway..._

_Good news, Dumbledore'll let you come earlier this year. You know where. Me, Mum, and Ginny are going there in a week, and we'll pick you up along the way. Hermione won't be coming - her entire family is in the protection zone... You-Know-Who got another family yesterday, a young muggle-born witch and her family in Sqwacher Valley. Harry, don't do anything stupid okay? There are just a few more days and we're coming! Don't let the muggles get you down!_

_Ron_

_P.S. Fred and George have enclosed some new products of theirs for you._

_P.P.S. Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, and Ginny say hi. _

Harry grimaced. Last year, it had been declared unsafe for any owls to be confidentially sent from wizard to wizard, as it was rumored that dark forces were intercepting certain owls.

In Harry's opinion, he didn't think Voldemort would be too concerned about catching owls delivering everyday material - it took a lot of effort to chase down owls, and Death Eaters flying around on broomsticks would definitely attract some attention.

Looking at the two boxes carefully, he opened one of them, and immediately jerked backwards, as multi-colored rabbits flew out, and jumped around. Harry was puzzled as he picked up a small note at the bottom of the box.

_To our benevolent funder, _

_We have enclosed 7 Rainbow Bouncing Bunnies - a sample of what your fine donation has led to over the years. Try the other sweets - but leave those Bunnies for someone you hate... _

_Gred and Forge,_

_WWW Head Wizards_

Harry opened the second package, and found nothing but a round tart. Cautious of what it might do, Harry sniffed it.

It smelt normal enough... of chocolate, and fresh cream.

Harry tentatively nibbled off a piece, and swallowed, bracing himself for any horrible transformations.

It was actually quite tasty.

Nothing happened. Not at all like Fred and George.

He looked in the mirror, and staring back at him was the same boy, with the same features as he had before he ate the tart. Seeing nothing wrong, he ate the rest of the tart, but as soon as he sunk his teeth into the cream, he munched on something hard and unpleasant. Spitting it out, he found a piece of parchment.

_Be ready at 9 o'clock, with your belongings. Burn when you've finished reading. _

The letter was unsigned, but he recognized the writing. It was Dumbledore, one of the world's most brilliant wizards, and the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the leader of the fight against Voldemort. Harry immediately went to the kitchen, turned up the fire on the stove, and burnt the letter. He would not use magic yet - underage wizardry would surely alert the Ministry of Magic on his tracks, and arouse attention. Attention would lead to questions, and questions would lead to danger.

Harry's watch read five minutes past seven. Packing would need to be done. He was leaving the Dursleys for good.

At quarter to nine, Harry stood in the living room with his all his belongings, ready to leave. Harry silently urged time to go faster - the Dursleys might be home any second, and they certainly wouldn't appreciate wizards coming into their house.

He could practically hear Uncle Vernon's voice ring, "No sir, no wizards in _OUR _house!"

Harry paused for a second. The small, tiny sliver of his more sensitive side beckoned him to do one last good deed for his relatives - to make them forget about him and his world, and give them the happiness he had 'deprived' them of.

The Ministry of Magic probably had their hands full with coping with Voldemort's return - they weren't about to charge the Boy-who Lived for underage wizardry in a time where all sources were spent on protecting the community from terrorist attacks that could erupt within seconds.

Ten minutes later, the Dursleys could be heard next door, chattering happily to the Spellgoods. Harry looked into as the shapes of the Dursleys, two massive hulks and one bony figure slowly stood up.

If he was going to do anything, it had to be now.

They were getting ready to come back.

After a few seconds of silent debating with himself, Harry turned his eyes away from the Spellgoods' house at Number Three, Privet Drive.

He moved to sit on the sofa, but just as he was about to collapse, he heard a voice growl, "Get your arse away from my face, Potter!"

Harry barely managed to stop himself from yelling. It was Mad-eye Moody, and sitting next to him were Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Bill Weasley, Minerva McGonagall, and Albus Dumbledore himself.

After a few quickly uttered greetings, Dumbledore quickly took out a jar of what looked like lemon drops, and held it out in front of Harry.

Harry took a sweet out, and started to unwrap it.

"No, Potter, this is the portkey!" cried McGonagall.

Harry blushed at his own stupidity.

More than six years in the wizarding world, but some things just couldn't cement themselves into 'common sense'.

He placed a finger onto the jar, and everyone else followed suit.

Dumbledore, with a quick glance around, said, "Are you ready, Harry?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Excellent... then..."

Dumbledore waved his wand, and with a tug from behind his navel, Harry found himself being pulled forwards. He closed his eyes.

When he next opened them, the surroundings had totally changed.

They had arrived.

The Black House - the house of his Godfather, the late Sirius Black. It had certainly changed a lot since he had last seen it two years ago. Instead of everything being grimy and dirty, and covered with portraits of Sirius' unpleasant relatives, Harry now found a magically expanded hall, which was immaculately cleaned and carried no trace of the living room that had been there two years ago.

_"Once my name's cleared... if you wanted a... a different home..." _

Sirius' voice haunted this house, and Harry's memories still. Silently, tears started to well up in Harry's eyes.

Harry found the entire house expanded, with quarters for permanent residents, such as Hermione and Ron's families. The place was now suitable for people, clean and cozy looking, and yet devoid of happiness.

_"He's not your son."_

_"He's as good as, who else has he got?"_

_"He's got me!"_

Not anymore, Sirius, not anymore.

The house was empty besides a few unrecognized people that Dumbledore nodded to. Those few people went about their business without any words. Dumbledore tapped Harry on the shoulder and led him into an empty room, and closed the door behind them.

Harry turned around and spoke to Dumbledore, "Professor, what's going on with Voldemort right now?"

The old wizard sighed deeply, and when he spoke, his voice was laced with fatigue, "Harry... I fear this time around he has gained power a lot faster, and his domination has already started. He has taken Knockturn Alley, the Icelands, and many wizarding settlements across Europe. Voldemort is now constantly assaulting the borders of Diagon Alley."

Harry gasped. He had no idea how much damage Voldemort had done over the summer.

Since he had left for Privet Drive, none was heard about Voldemort besides the occasional assaults on random targets.

"I'm afraid its only a matter of time before the defences are compromised. We have been doing all we can, but our opportunity to get a head start on Voldemort was ruined by Fudge... I fear a second age of darkness may begin..."

Harry saw pain in the old man's eyes, pain that had gradually destroyed the twinkle that used to inhibit those blue eyes of the venerable wizard. Harry then noticed a long scar along Dumbledore's aged face.

"Fudge has finally taken some drastic action, in doubling the numbers of Aurors, however, the Ministry is in disarray, with the many Death Eaters in the top ranks... no one knows who to trust... just like the old times."

At this, Dumbledore's eyes flared with hatred, an emotion seldom seen on the wizard's expressions.

"That idiot! If he had just _listened _to us _years _ago, none of this would be..."

"Be as it may, what's done is done Harry. Now, I must tell you to be careful, and not to leave Grimmauld Place until I tell you to. You do know how important you are?"

Harry did indeed know, more than he had ever wanted to know. At the end of his fifth year at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had revealed to him a prophecy that was given by none other than Harry's divination teacher, Professor Trelawney, concerning himself and Voldemort.

He remembered the words all too clearly...

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..._

This prophecy could basically be condensed into one sentence. He, Harry, would have to kill Voldemort, or be killed by Voldemort. It was not a comforting thought, becoming a murderer or dying.

For a month's time, Harry had one sentence echoing in his head, 'Kill or be killed...'

Fortunately, Harry had realized that when the time for the confrontation came, it would come, and he would wait until that day happens, and try to enjoy life as well as he could.

His sixth year was strangely inactive, with him actually experiencing a relatively normal year, with just a small incident with a bludger knocking Ron off his broomstick in a game against Hufflepuff. It had taken weeks for his leg to heal.

Since Fudge declared that Voldemort was back, Harry had returned again to being the famous and fawned after Boy-who-Lived.

Whilst Harry despised the fact that he was famous at the cost of his family, he did come to see some more positive aspects of being famous.

Last year, a year of normalcy for Harry, hormones got the better of him, and through his sixth year he had found the pleasures of dating, and not all of the dates were as dull and unexciting as Cho Chang.

However, after dumping Parvati Patil, a fellow Gryffindor for the fifth time in one year, Harry decided that he had enough - no more relationships, unless they were serious.

Harry's friends had also gotten a share of publicity, despite the limelight being fixed on the Boy-who-Lived. Luna Lovegood was no longer the odd laughingstock of Hogwarts after word had spread that she was one of the students that had been in the company of Harry in the strangely mysterious adventure in which no details had been revealed, in fact she had her own little fan club following her around, consisting of several timid fifth and sixth years.

Luna, being Luna, noticed none of them. Harry smiled at the thought of five wizards following an oblivious Luna Lovegood around the halls of Hogwarts.

Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Neville were the least affected by their rise in attention. They went about their lives as usual.

Hermione and Ron were used to being the friends of the Boy-who-Lived.

However, Harry's fame was not limited with giggling schoolgirls only. The whole wizarding world looked to him as a symbol of light and hope, he was their icon, their model in the war against Voldemort.

He was living proof that Voldemort was not superhuman, he was the boy who survived multiple encounters with the Dark Lord.

Harry snapped out of his thoughts, and nodded to his Headmaster.

"Very well, Harry, I trust you will like to go see your friends now. I will be in contact every few days if possible. Be careful," said Dumbledore, and without waiting for a response, he swept out of the room.

Harry immediately picked up his trunk and broomstick, and lugged them up to his room at the Black house. He opened the room, to find that it had changed. No longer a dusty, dirty bed, but a smooth mahogany one, with a mattress and about 10 pillows. Harry put his trunk in the middle of the room and sat down on his bed, closing his eyes, allowing his mind to drift away, until he heard a shriek, and jumped up, with his wand out.

A red-haired cannonball hit him, wrapping herself around him in a firm hug, with a squeal of delight.

Ginny Weasley.

Harry dropped his wand unintentionally, the air in him knocked out.

Harry grinned as he returned the hug, and said "Ginny!" at a loss of anything else to say. The once timid girl had really gotten to know Harry during his sixth year, when Ron and Hermione were dating, and unintentionally isolated him. He could safely say that Ginny now took the position of 3rd best friend to the Boy-who-Lived, since his two best friends had broken up, and returned to normal.

"RON! HERMIONE! HARRY'S HERE!" hollered the redhead, finally letting go of Harry.

Almost immediately, another redhead, and a bushy haired brunette came flying into the room. Hermione gave Harry a hug, commenting on how he grew in the few weeks they were apart, and Ron, looking like he was going to give Harry a hug too, but instead just pat him on the back.

Harry smiled at Ginny unconsciously. Seeing his friends again filled a void in his heart, a void that had spawned from spending weeks with the Dursleys.

Harry then struck up a conversation about the summer holidays, ending in uproarious laughter on how Dudley, the human elephant, had somehow managed to fall in love with the prettiest, yet most horrible girl in Privet Drive, Lisa Spellgood.

Harry had a wonderful night catching up with his three best friends, but when he went to bed that night, he smiled.

The rest of the summer would be fun.

Days had passed like a blur, as the four friends lounged around the house all day, playing chess, gobstones, exploding snap, or anything they could get their hands on. Harry could easily say his time at Grimmauld Place, although haunted by images of Sirius, was the best time of his summer.

However, Quidditch was off-limits, as it would involve leaving the house, and exposing themselves.

On one windy morning, Harry woke up to a new world. Grinning, he saw that it was the morning of the 31st of July. His birthday. Grinning with glee, Harry decided his first legal magical action would be to apparate to Ginny and Hermione's room, and yell out he was of age.

With a slight _pop, _Harry appeared in Ginny and Hermione's room, letting out a yell that he was of age.

"I'M SEVEN... oh... I... sorry..." he stuttered.

The girls had been busy wrapping up a present, still in their pajamas.

"You're seven!" exclaimed Ginny.

The two girls burst out laughing, and ran towards him to give him a hug and wish him a happy birthday. He smiled. His birthday was already off to the perfect start. He gave the two a wave, and apparated to Ron's room, to give the redhead a nice sharp awakening.

"Bloody hell, Harry!" yelled Ron, as a jet of water blasted him in the face.

In a matter of hours, after a hearty birthday breakfast, Harry found himself sitting in a circle with friends, and people who he considered to be family.

Mrs. Weasley had organized a small gathering for Harry's birthday, seeing as they could not get many people to come, as the location of the Order of the Phoenix's Headquarters must not be leaked out, and Dumbledore's strict orders were for Harry to stay in Grimmauld Place until permission was given.

Harry was shocked and delighted.

Amongst those that came, there was Remus, Tonks, Mad-eye Moody, the Patil family, all the Weasleys, the Grangers, Professor McGonagall, and even Dumbledore.

The day was spent lightheartedly, drinking butterbeer, playing games, eating delicious food, and lounging about. At long last, Molly Weasley announced it was time to open presents. Harry was as excited as a little boy, as he ran headfirst into his pile of presents and shredded the wrappings of the first one open.

It was from Parvati, a silver colored chain, a small round golden amulet in the middle, with the letters H and P engraved into it. Harry wasn't quite sure if it was standing for Harry Potter or Harry and Parvati. Harry smiled anyways, giving Parvati a hug, and putting it on.

Parvati grinned.

The next he opened was a present from Arthur and Molly Weasley. It was a peculiar object shaped like a miniature muggle flashlight. Arthur whispered in Harry's ear that he'd explain about it later, and Harry gave Mr. and Mrs. Weasley a hug.

Harry noted to himself that it was strange that he was hugging people - he was, after all, an adult wizard now. Was hugging a childish act?

Shaking it off, he turned back to the presents.

A small letter grasped Harry's attention however, and he opened it, finding a letter from Gringotts, the wizard bank.

_Dear Mr. Harry James Potter,_

_Upon your seventeenth birthday, there are two accounts, where the assets will need to be transferred to your vault. The late James and Lily Potter's full family fortune will be transferred to your vault as of 1:42PM today. The funds from the Black family vault, and a private vault owned by the late Sirius Black, will also be transferred to your vault then. Please come to sign the necessary forms, which will allow you access to these funds. _

The letter was not signed, excepting a Gringotts' stamp.

Everyone in the room was staring at Harry, and he suddenly remembered he was opening gifts. He pocketed the letter, gave a significant look to Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, and unwrapped the next gift.

"That's from me!" said Ron.

Surprisingly, Harry's face dropped as he peered into the box.

"What's wrong Harry, don't you like it?" said Ron worriedly.

"There's nothing in there," Harry said sadly.

Ron yelped.

"What do you mean, there's nothing in there, there's a professional level snitch in there! I'm sure of it! I saved up for weeks for that!" said Ron, running up to the box.

Harry burst out into laughter, and gave his friend a slap on the back.

"Sorry Ron, but the expression on your face was just priceless," exclaimed Harry.

Ron playfully punched Harry, who flipped over playfully, but really painfully collided with a table, drawing laughter from the other people present.

Harry had then opened many more presents until there were just three left. He had gotten more Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes from Fred and George, books about curses from Tonks, his mother Lily's 7th year diary from Remus, and _An Auror's Guide to Survival _from Mad-eye Moody, which was written, incidentally, by himself. McGonagall had gotten Harry a book on Animagi, and he got a case of Honeydukes' snacks from Bill and Charlie Weasley.

Percy had ignored Harry's birthday, as he was still somewhat spiteful about Harry being right about Voldemort, and making him look like a fool in front of the Ministry of Magic and his family last year.

Harry then turned to the last three presents. He turned to Hermione's first. He found, unsurprisingly, a book. However, it wasn't the kind of book Harry thought he'd be receiving. There was no title to the book. Harry flipped through the pages, and saw masses of writing, along with pictures of him and his friends. Flashing Hermione a smile, he placed the book down. Excepting Lily's diary, this was the most meaningful gift he received so far. Harry smiled and nodded at Hermione.

Harry then turned to a smaller gift, which was just a small case. He figured this would be Ginny's as she was watching intently. Harry opened the gift and gasped. It was a ring, engraved on it was an phoenix, with the letter H in the middle. Ginny all of a sudden looked like the timid girl Harry had met when he was in his second year. Harry stood up, and with a simple thank you, he gave her the tightest hug he could muster. She smiled, as Harry picked up the final gift, an envelope.

Harry opened the envelope, and yet again was another letter.

_Harry,_

_I, Albus Dumbledore, now formally invite you into the Order of the Phoenix, in which you may immediately take your Father's old rank if you wish. Enclosed is the initiation badge, which glows when you are with another member of the Order. You may make your decision to join or not by discarding the badge, or placing it on yourself. Take your time, it is a very important decision to make._

_Albus Dumbledore_

Harry looked his headmaster in the eye, took out a beautiful glowing phoenix badge, and pinned it on his shirt.

"I formally agree to join the Order of the Phoenix, and I will provide any service required of myself possible."

The Order members smiled, Tonks and Remus smirking slightly, at this, and Harry found that his badge had disappeared.

Harry spluttered, "Where, where...!"

Again, the Order members smiled.

Dumbledore spoke up with a smile, "Harry, you will find that you are now one of us. A mental link is made between all members of the Order, you can 'feel' them around you. Concentrate Harry, and you will understand. As you are surely aware, physical possessions do not mean a lot. The badge was merely a substitute until you found yourself intertwined with the members of the Order. It seems you have miraculous speed in doing so..."

Harry concentrated on Remus Lupin for a second, and found himself 'feeling' his former professor's aura. He smiled. A wonderful sense of joy flew through Harry. He was now part of what his parents' had valued above everything else, an order full of the greatest wizards of his time.

Harry felt, for the first time in his life, that his birthday was a spectacular day to be alive.

After a massive birthday dinner cooked by a couple of house-elves from Hogwarts, and a cake baked by Ginny and Mrs. Weasley, Harry had wandered outside away from the festivities, to get a breath of fresh air.

He had just walked to an old treestump, gazing upwards at the sky, when a voice startled him from behind.

"Care for company?"

Harry smiled.

Without turning around, he knew it was Ginny.

"Sure, Gin."

"You know, I still haven't asked how your holidays were this year... did those muggles treat you better?"

"Guess you could say so... though when the Spellgoods came over they chucked me outside... but all in all it was much better..."

"Well that's good," said Ginny, and pulled Harry up. "C'mon, let's walk around."

They walked around the backyard in a comfortable silence, Ginny's hand still holding Harry's.

They had come to a large maple tree, and Ginny stopped in her tracks.

Harry turned to look at his friend.

And he saw, in his friend's stead, a whole different person.

She had been a different person for more than two years now, but never had it shone so clearly.

Confidence radiated from her eyes, which were constantly alight, even when none had challenged her, none had done anything to aggravate her.

It was Weasley spirit, channeled by Fred and George for the most part.

Harry could've swore there and then was a laugh in Ginny's eyes, a distinct sparkle of mischief and naivety.

Never had he noticed such before.

The moonlight shone upon them, illuminating them in a pale, unearthly glow.

Harry smiled softly at Ginny.

She smiled back.

A fluttery feeling overtook Harry, as he looked at the girl in front of him.

He unconsciously started to lean towards her, when a sharp voice invaded his thoughts and brought him jerking back down to reality.

"Oh so there you two are! You had us worried, next time tell us if you're going to go outside! Come on in now, the Patils are leaving... come say goodbye..." rang Mrs. Weasley's voice.

Harry snapped away from Ginny.

"Right away, Mrs. Weasley! Sorry, we just came out and forgot to keep track of time!"

As Mrs. Weasley's form nodded and disappeared back into the house, Harry let out a nervous little laugh.

"Well, we should go in now, shouldn't we? You know..."

"Okay, Harry... okay."

"Gin?" said Harry, preparing to ask her if she knew what that strange moment between them was.

"Yes?"

"Never mind, let's go say goodbye to Parvati and Padma."

So they walked back to Grimmauld Place.

Ginny was shocked.

_Why did he lean in?_

_Was he going to kiss me_, she thought to herself.

All of a sudden she caught herself.

Why should _she_ care if Harry wanted to kiss her or not... she was dating Colin Creevey... Harry was just a friend...

Memories of her younger years flooded into her mind, of the boy she had heard of day after day in stories, of the boy who had defeated Voldemort at the age of 1, of the boy who had saved her from the Chamber of Secrets, of the boy who was the youngest Quidditch player at Hogwarts for a century, and of the boy who she had put her elbow in the butter dish for, sent valentine cards and get well cards for, and she cried, unaware of the bushy haired girl that had quietly walked in and put her arm around her.

All around the world, wizarding families raised their glass to Harry Potter, the one hope besides Dumbledore they had left for preventing another dark age.

Some saw that Dumbledore was slowly, but surely weakening, his age getting the better of him.

Many people drank to Harry Potter's health that night, and many people drank to his misfortune and suffering.

Muggles around the world were the only ones who lay in peaceful ignorance.

Two teenagers looked out into the stars at the same time, both wondering about the kiss that never came to be.

The black-haired boy was oblivious to the fact that people were honoring him, or cursing him one way or the other around the world. No, all that filled the boy's mind was a beautiful red-haired girl with tears in her eyes; she was all that mattered to him at that moment, somehow, Harry Potter had done it.

Harry Potter had fallen for his best friend's sister.

Little did anyone know, with this little realization, a major part of the upcoming war had been played out.


	2. chapter 2

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Two - Diagon Alley

By the next rising of the sun, the 'incident' of the night before was put aside by Harry and Ginny.

They had both convinced themselves that it was just an awkward moment, and nothing would've happened even if they hadn't been interrupted.

They greeted each other normally at breakfast, and scooped up what was left of the food after Ron had gotten there, which was a surprisingly small amount - a raspberry scone and two pieces of toast.

Splitting the meager breakfast between themselves, they walked out to the dining room where Ron was furiously munching on a plateful of food, and Hermione was sitting next to him with a look of indignation and disgust on her face.

Harry caught Ginny's eye and they both laughed.

Ron looked up from his meal and said, "S'matter?"

By saying this, a big blob of bacon and chewed up bread flew out of his mouth and into Hermione's face, which caused Harry and Ginny to laugh even harder.

"Now that's enough, dears... Ron, did you eat ALL of the food I set out there?" asked Mrs. Weasley, shaking her head.

"You mean that was for all of us?"

"Yes, Ron," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Oops," said Ron, and belched.

"Gross!" said Hermione, and smacking Ron on the arm, left and sat next to Ginny.

Near the end of breakfast, Hogwarts owls had come and dropped off the yearly letters. Harry opened his letter, and found himself very shocked indeed.

_**HOGWARTS SCHOOL **_

_**Of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been made Head Boy, along with Ms. Hermione Granger as Head Girl. This position is an extremely important one, in regards to recent developments in the war. You are expected to provide a respectable image for the younger students, and you will also be learning Auror-level Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts with Headmaster Dumbledore, instead of attending regular classes for those two subjects. Term begins on September 1. Enclosed is a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

P.S. The Headmaster will come see you the 29th of August, to discuss your appointment as Head Boy.

Harry was stunned. Dumbledore hadn't even made him a prefect because of the responsibility put on Harry by the prophecy.

Why Head Boy? Wouldn't that be going against what he said before? Harry felt the supplies list in the envelope, and sure enough; next to it was a silver Head Boy badge. Across the table, everybody in the kitchen was hugging Hermione.

"Oh... my... god... HEAD GIRL!" yelled Hermione.

The Hogwarts owls shifted nervously.

"HEAD GIRL!" she shrieked again.

The owls took flight, fleeing for their lives.

Harry laughed.

Everyone at the table congratulated her, but also slipped in a sarcastic comment on how they knew she was going to be Head Girl the first day they met her.

Hermione turned crimson, beaming happily.

Harry walked over to her, and whispered in her ear, "So there are two Gryffindor Head Students this year..."

Drawing away, he said loudly, "Good job, Hermione, I knew you had it in you!"

Harry winked at Hermione, his sign for her not to say a word.

"The Head Boy better not be some rich snooty git like Malfoy..." Ron muttered.

"I should hope that you wouldn't think of the new Head Boy that way. I'm sure he'd feel very insulted indeed. If you ask me, I hold the new Head Boy in the highest esteem," said Harry.

"Hmm... who is it, Ernie Macmillan or something?" said Ron, wondering who else could be Head Boy.

Ginny figured it out first.

"YOU'RE HEAD BOY!" she exclaimed.

Harry burst out laughing, as she jumped on him for a congratulation hug. He held her tightly, her vibrant hair filling his eyesight.

Ginny did not turn red or show any sign of embarrassment, as she calmly stepped aside and allowed the others to congratulate Harry.

When it came to Fred and George, the last to approach Harry, they shook their heads and announced that they were disappointed in Harry.

The newly minted Head Boy had stuck his tongue out in retaliation.

Fred and George gave their most sincere apologies, but all of a sudden they whipped out their wands and inflated Harry's head, with a yell of "ENGORGIO! There you go, now you look like a Head Boy."

Harry, his head the size of a tire, fell over, tilted by the weight of his head.

The whole table sniggered at this, they all remembered Fred and George's torment of Percy Weasley.

"Finite Incantatem!" yelled Mrs. Weasley seconds later. "FRED, GEORGE, THAT IS ENOUGH! ASSAULTING THE BOY WHO LIVED, LOOK AT EVERYONE ELSE HERE, YOU'RE JUST SO IMMATURE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE WENT WRONG IN RAISING YOU TWO! WHAT THE WIZARDING WORLD WOULD DO IF THEY HEARD THAT MY SONS ATTACKED HARRY POTTER..."

Harry was laughing uproariously with everyone else, insisting to Mrs. Weasley it was really all right, and he understood the humor in the situation. After all, Harry had seen the twins at it again and again when Percy was made Head Boy. Ron gave Harry a strange look, going back and forth from Ginny to Harry. Harry quickly realized that he had slung his arm around Ginny sometime during his laughter, and he let go.

Harry had noticed, however, 7 Weasley males looking at him strangely, and Mrs. Weasley looking at him with an expression unreadable. Hermione was seemingly oblivious in her joy at being made Head Girl, a grin still plastered on her face.

All in all, Harry felt a bit nervous and somewhat guilty when Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and himself portkeyed to Diagon Alley with Mrs. Weasley (floo powder was no longer safe, as Dark wizards had begun to infiltrate Diagon Alley that way, so portkeys were issued to families that were trusted, other families would have to find another way in, using muggle transport or broomsticks).

Harry was unprepared for the sight of what happened to the once beautiful, crowded Diagon Alley. The streets were no longer full of happy chatting wizards and witches, there were just worried looking parents shepherding children from one building to another, Aurors running along from one place to another, and the streets no longer looked clean, they were filled with scorch marks and dirt. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny made their way into the Leaky Cauldron, where they sat down and looked at their booklist.

_Uniform_

_Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_One pair of dragon hide gloves_

_One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)_

_Casual Clothes for evenings, and weekends_

_One set of dress robes for Halloween, Yule, and Graduation Balls_

_Course Books (New books needed)_

_Standard Book of Spells (Grade 7) by Miranda Goshawk_

_Expert Transfiguration by Emeric Switch_

_Big book of Magical Plants by Greenthumb Gardener_

_Curses, Hexes, and Charms: What you need to know by Ronald Silverstone_

_Advanced Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

_Care of Magical Creatures by Cassie Allen_

_Dark Curses, Creatures and Wizards: A guide to survival by Alastor Moody_

_Other Equipment_

_1 Wand_

_1 Spare Wand_

_1 Advanced Potions Set_

_1 Steel Longsword (blunted)_

"What on earth do we need a ruddy sword for, mum?" asked Ron.

"I'd assume that you're going to have a dueling class... strange, considering it hasn't been taught for two hundred years, when a child got his arm sliced off."

Everyone shuddered.

"We'd best get going anyways, Diagon Alley isn't the safe place it used to be... Now stick together now, come on," said Mrs. Weasley.

The first stop was Gringotts, when Harry remembered the letter from yesterday.

"Hang on, can I sort this out? I can just meet up with you guys later..." started Harry.

"Goodness sake, no, you're not going anywhere by yourself. Ginny, go with Harry, won't you dear?" said Mrs. Weasley.

Ginny nodded, and they approached a goblin with the letter.

"Good morning, my name is Harry Potter."

Ginny rolled her eyes at this point - everyone knew Harry by sight, there was no need to introduce himself.

"...I received a letter yesterday regarding the transfer of assets from my parents and my godfather's accounts?" continued Harry.

"Yes, yes... Griphook!" The goblin that had served Harry the first time he had come appeared at their elbows.

"Come along now, get in the cart." As soon as Harry, Ginny, and the goblin stepped in, the cart started moving.

"Now, since your current vault wasn't big enough to store all of the money Lily and James Potter had left you, not to mention Sirius Black's, we have moved your account to a presidential-level, high-security vault."

Harry knew what a high-security vault was like, only by descriptions on books. Never did he expect to see 15 trained dragons standing at guard, and double that amount of goblins standing to intercept them.

"State your full names, and stand on this block," said a goblin holding a clipboard.

"Harry James Potter." Harry walked up to the block.

"Virginia Annabel Weasley." Ginny stood up next to him.

The block glowed white for a second, and then turned dim again.

"Security measures, you'll understand," muttered the goblin, and let them through. "Your vault number is 17, Mr. Potter, you may access the contents now."

The goblin opened the door, and led them down a massive hall, and started fiddling with security charms on one of the massive steel doors. When he finally gotten the door open, he motioned for Harry and Ginny to enter the room and take what they needed.

Harry gasped. It was no room... it was his vault! Mountains of gold coins were in front of him, hills of silver, and a heap of bronze.

Ginny went weak at the knees, "But there's got to be... Sweet Merlin... Harry..."

"Two million, five thousand, two hundred, and twenty one galleons, fourteen sickles, and two knuts," said the goblin calmly, in a bored voice.

Harry and Ginny were wordless, until a rude "Well?" from the goblin made Harry move forward. He scooped massive handfuls of coins into his moneybag, which he had enlarged, and he reached for Ginny's practically empty purse, and filled it to the rim with Galleons.

Ginny objected, but Harry insisted on it. "You think I'll be able to use up all of this? I'll be lucky if I even live long enough to use up the coins I have here in my pouch... with Voldemort and all, I'll probably be dead before the end of this year..."

A loud slap echoed through the vault.

"GINNY! What was that for?" exclaimed a very indignant Harry.

"Don't ever say anything like that again, Harry, or you'll regret it. You'll live and grow up happily, you'll get married to a wonderful girl, live your life, have children, watch them live their lives, and even watch their children... You're seventeen Harry, you've still got your life ahead of you. If I hear you make one more comment about you DYING soon, I'll... Don't you realize that I... people love you? Don't you realize how you hurt me by talking like that? I didn't love you because you were the Boy-who-Lived, Harry. I don't care about your destiny - I care about Harry. Just Harry!" Ginny stopped, tears in her eyes.

She looked like she was ready to collapse and cry.

Harry grabbed her into a hug before she could move and whispered, "I'm sorry Ginny, I've just been a bit negative about it all, you know, with the prophecy and all..."

Harry realized how ridiculous he must've looked, hugging a crying Ginny in a room full of money, with twenty goblins staring at him bug-eyed.

Harry also realized, quite uncomfortably, that he was hugging his best friend who was dating Colin Creevey, who Harry somewhat respected now that he had gotten some character, and he wasn't just hero-worshipping him... Ginny was a taken girl, and more importantly, she was his best friend.

But she worried about him; she even told him that she loved him.

As a friend of course, he told himself. Memories unbidden told him that although she was dating Colin, she liked him the most - she DID have that four year crush... but the question was, did he still have a chance with her?

Did he even _want_ a chance with her?

No, he told himself.

_But you're not hugging her like a friend, are you, _said a nasty little voice in Harry's head.

He held Ginny in his arms, as she cried choked sobs on his shoulder.

_You missed your chance, you did. She's obviously over you now; she's been dating for the past two years. What she would say to you if she knew how you thought about her... You're enjoying yourself even when she's crying on you... how horrible of you... _Harry banished the voice from his head.

No, he told himself, Ginny Weasley was just a friend now; their concern for each other was nothing but friendship. He held her - as a friend, just a friend...

"Tell you what, Gin, you keep the Galleons in your purse, help me carry some more up for your family, and I'll never say anything like that again," said Harry, looking down into her eyes and giving her his most winning smile.

Ginny whispered, "Harry, that's _blackmail_! I thought you were a true Gryffindor!"

But she smiled and did as Harry asked. Harry felt a weight drop on his stomach as she slid out of his arms.

Harry absently thought about how warm she was, and how she seemed to fit perfectly in his arms.

After filling pouches with gold coins, they left the vault.

Harry nodded to the goblin, and watched as they went through a complex process of locking the vault.

When they had finished, they went back up on the cart.

Harry stole another glance at Ginny.

Harry and Ginny had met Ron, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley in Flourish and Blotts where they got their schoolbooks for the year, Hermione picking up ten extra tomes for 'light' reading. Harry would never know, despite being friends with Hermione for about six years, how she enjoyed books so much.

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny went into Ollivander's wand shop to buy spare wands, as Mrs. Weasley went to the apothecary for potions ingredients.

Harry had hoped never to come to this shop again, as Mr. Ollivander had spooked him out before his first year. However, it was widely known that Ollivander's had the best wands in the world for sale, so in they went, and unsurprisingly, Mr. Ollivander had not changed one bit.

"Aaaah... Mr. Potter, I was not aware that you'd be coming. Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches... very powerful wand indeed... surely you haven't lost it?" he muttered.

"Hello, Mr. Ollivander, we all need spare wand for our year at Hogwarts. Could we try some please?" said Harry.

"Yes, yes... of course... now let me get your measurements..."

Mr. Ollivander went to work, and an hour later, the four teenagers went out with new wands. Ron's was a short 7 ½ inch wand, made of oak, and unicorn hair, supposedly good for charms. Ginny's was a 9-inch willow wand with phoenix feather, and Hermione's wand was a 10-inch long maple wand with unicorn hair. However, Harry was a tricky customer. It took Mr. Ollivander 45 minutes to find the right wand for Harry. It ended up being a 12-inch long mahogany wand, with a phoenix feather - similar to his first wand. Harry paid for the wands, and exited the shop, where they bumped into Luna Lovegood, wandering around, seemingly without a care in the world.

"Oh hello guys, lovely day isn't it? Ron you have a cockroach on your robes..." said Luna.

Harry was used to this kind of greeting by now, and ignored it. After 15 minutes of meaningless chitchat, they said their goodbyes to Luna and went to meet Mrs. Weasley.

At their final stop, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Ginny had surprised Mrs. Weasley, Ron, and Hermione by pulling out gold coins from her purse and treating them to their robes. Ginny winked to Harry. Ron nearly fainted when he saw how much money was in Ginny's purse.

Ron and Mrs. Weasley were still trying to squeeze information out of Ginny on how she had managed to get the money when they left the shop and headed to Florean Fortescue's for ice cream. She just informed them of a particularly nice friend who had recently hit the jackpot, with an innocent smile. Mrs. Weasley exploded. "VIRGINIA WEASLEY, TELL ME WHO GAVE THOSE GALLEONS TO YOU, AND WHAT FOR!"

Harry saw the game was up, and drew Mrs. Weasley and Ginny away. "Mrs. Weasley, I'm afraid its my fault that Ginny has received those Galleons, you see, we made a deal down in Gringotts, she would have to help me spend some money, the money that my parents and Sirius left me are way too much for me to spend by myself."

Harry rummaged through his bag, and pulled out a pouch that was filled with Galleons, and handed it to Mrs. Weasley.

"For all the delicious food, and for being the best family I could ever hope for," said Harry with a grin.

Mrs. Weasley, like Ginny declined at first, yet Mrs. Weasley, like Ginny, was persuaded, after Harry put on his finest responsible adult voice, and his obligations to friends and family as he put it, now that he was no longer a child.

"Come on Mrs. Weasley, it would make me feel so much better if you took it..." said Harry, flashing Mrs. Weasley a winning smile.

Mrs. Weasley accepted the money at last with a smile and a hug, but when she took the pouch from Harry, she immediately dropped it.

'Sweet Merlin! Harry what did you put in that bag, why is it so heavy?" exclaimed a shocked Mrs. Weasley.

Harry did nothing but smile, as he opened the bag for Mrs. Weasley. It was magically enlarged on the inside, and it was as big as the Weasley family vault - but filled with gold galleons, unlike the practically empty Weasley vault.

"You did accept it, Mrs. Weasley, I expect you to keep true to your word," Harry said, and walked off holding hands with Ginny to Florean Fortescue's, where Ron and Hermione were already eating sundaes.

Mrs. Weasley could be heard muttering something about hanging around Fred and George too much, and developing ways to trick the older generation, yet she did so with a smile on her face.

Ron and Harry were just having a game of chess when the fire in the living room went green, and Dumbledore's face appeared. Harry shook his head, he still wasn't used to people's heads popping into fires.

"Harry."

"Hello, Professor."

"I suppose you're wondering why I made you Head Boy?"

"That amongst many things, Professor."

"Well, I have 15 minutes to spare, let's see how many of your questions I can answer. Firstly, regarding the business with Head Boy. It is as the letter says, we need someone to give a good image off, who better than the Boy-who-Lived? Also, this is more important Harry. I have reason to believe that Draco Malfoy has been initiated as a Death Eater over the holiday. I will need you and Hermione to poke around a bit, to try and find out anything you can. I know you two are the best for the job. Your appointment as Head Boy is also due to the fact that you and Hermione will be required to act alongside the teachers, should a life-threatening situation occur at Hogwarts, as we are currently undermanned. The final reason is about the prophecy - you will need some private time during this year, I can feel it, whether to prepare, or just lounge about, that I do not know. The Head Boy and Head Girl dorms should provide you with the privacy you need. I daresay Miss Granger won't bother you if you don't want her to. You are the most capable person for the job Harry, but if you think it is too much responsibility, feel free to reject the position."

Dumbledore had hit a soft spot without knowing so. Harry stuck to his responsibility, no matter what it cost him.

"No problem sir. I'm honored you chose me for the position. But sir, what about the Order of the Phoenix? What will be my duties there? Am I to come to battles, and answer summons?"

"You needn't worry about that unless the situation gets really out of hand, for now, just another powerful wizard on our side at Hogwarts is good enough. Well Harry, I daresay you will have your hands full this year, being Quidditch captain, Head Boy, and a member of the Order. Right Harry, would you mind asking permission from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and the Grangers for Ron, Hermione, and possibly Ginny to join the Order? I assure you, none of you will be put into any danger - it is just for security at Hogwarts. Now, what were your other questions?"

"It's regarding my parents, and Sirius, professor. What did they do when they were alive? How did they get so much money?"

"Your father and Sirius worked as Aurors for the ministry, and your mother worked to design new spells in the ministry also. Her invention of the mass disarming charm earned most of the money that you see in your vault... Plus the Potter and Black families were amongst the richest of wizards recently... I'm sorry Harry, I'm afraid my time is up. Please give my regards to Molly and Arthur."

With a _pop, _Dumbledore's face disappeared. Harry headed back to Ron.

"All you need now is a really good girlfriend Harry, and you've reached my lifetime goal," said Ron, who was obviously trying not to be jealous.

Harry sighed, he was used to Ron doing this by now. "Ron, Dumbledore just asked me to ask your parents whether or not you could join the Order. They're quite shorthanded nowadays... I'll ask Hermione's parents too, they want all three of you. Oh yeah and Ron, you're co-captain for Quidditch, and you're a prefect. You've got just as much as I do, plus a lot more. You've got wonderful parents, wonderful brothers, and you have Ginny as your sister, I'm not sure if anyone could ask for a better sister than her. You've got me and Hermione as your friends, and in case you haven't noticed, you have more girls pining after you than I do - after all, anyone that wants to be with me is either brave, delusional, or has a death wish..."

Ron smiled, pointing at the chessboard. "I'm only joking, Harry, but you forgot something. I'm a hundred times better at chess than you are."

Harry raised an eyebrow as he sat down next to the chessboard, "Is that a challenge, Weasley?"

"You bet, Potter. Get ready to lose."

Harry and Ron played until deep into the night, when Ron finally checkmated Harry with the help of two pawns and a bishop. Yawning, they went to bed.

"No way. Forget about it Ronald, Virginia, you two will NOT be joining the Order until you are grown up and graduated. It's too dangerous," said Arthur and Molly Weasley simultaneously.

"But Harry..." said Ron and Ginny.

"Harry is exceptional, plus Dumbledore will be keeping an eye out for him," The Weasley parents said, as if it settled the matter.

"Hermione dear, we trust the Weasleys' judgment, you will not be joining either - if Arthur and Molly say its too dangerous, it is," said Mr. Granger.

"Dad, I'm sorry if this annoys you, but I'm an adult now, I make my own decisions. I am joining with Harry, whether you like it or not is not my problem," Hermione said calmly.

Surprisingly, Mr. Granger did not erupt or even look angry. "Hermione, we want what is best for you, but if you really want to do this, you are correct - it is a noble thing to do, and you are an adult now. My little princess is all grown up..."

He sniffed, and hugged Hermione.

"Dad...!" said Hermione, blushing red.

"Yes, yes, you're right... I'll go tell your mother."

With that, an emotional Mr. Granger left the breakfast table.

Ron was amazed. "Well if Hermione AND Harry are joining, I'm not going to be left behind, not if my life depended on it. Mum, I'm an adult now too, and I control my own fate."

With that, Ron walked off, leaving Molly Weasley furious.

"My own children are rebelling against me..." sniffed Mrs. Weasley "They're growing up so fast. You won't do that to your old mum will you, Ginny?"

Ginny looked uncomfortable, probably considering if she should take advantage of the situation and just declare that she was joining the Order, or should she ask permission.

Harry had no doubt that Ginny had no intentions of being left behind. Weasley blood, Harry thought to himself.

"Mum... please may I join? I'm just a few months younger than Ron, Harry and Hermione, I don't want to be left behind," Ginny said quietly, afraid to provoke her mother into tears.

"Ginny, you are not of age yet, you might be hurt, you might be..."

"Mrs. Weasley, if you trust me enough, I swear to you that I will not let Ginny come to any harm. I can imagine how much Ginny dreads being left behind, please consider letting her join. I assure you as long as I am alive, no harm will befall Ginny," Harry said.

That was a brilliant move by Harry, as his words always melted Molly Weasley's heart.

After a few minutes of sniffing, she agreed.

Harry gave Ginny a small nod, and went to find Ron and Hermione, leaving mother and daughter to have a talk.

As Harry walked to the living room to find Ron and Hermione, a wizard rolled out of the fireplace. Remus Lupin, with blood splattered over the front of his robes. An arrow protruded from his chest.

"Harry... tell Dumbledore... Diagon Alley... under siege..." Remus fainted.


	3. chapter 3

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Three - Phoenix in Action

_'...Diagon Alley... under siege...' Remus fainted._

The house was in an uproar. Harry had yelled for the Weasleys and the Grangers, who were trying the best they could to heal Remus. Harry tried to use floo powder to get to Hogwarts but it was blocked. Harry was desperate. He needed to contact Dumbledore. Just when he was about to floo to Hogsmeade then run up to Hogwarts, Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix appeared. It must've sensed that an Order member was in distress and came to see what was going on. Harry quickly scribbled a note to Dumbledore.

_Prof, _

_Remus hurt, Diagon Alley under siege. Hurry._

_HP_

The phoenix took the letter from Harry's hand and erupted in flames, returning to Dumbledore.

Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, and George Weasley immediately flooed to Diagon Alley, to join the Aurors already there.

Molly Weasley, with the help of Hermione and Ginny, was healing Remus, who had been hit in the chest with an arrow charm. The arrow had already been taken out; they were cleaning the wound and resealing it. Remus lay there, out cold. Harry and Ron were left there standing, useless to anyone. Frustrated, Harry decided he had enough. Motioning to Ron, he walked to the fireplace, threw a handful of floo powder into the flames, and yelled DIAGON ALLEY!

As usual, Harry felt like he was being sucked down a giant plughole, spinning around. He finally came out of the fireplace at the other end of Diagon Alley, dusting off his robes. Harry did not wait for Ron, as he kicked the door to the abandoned Leaky Cauldron open, and flew out into the streets.

It was absolute chaos. Harry had often wondered what a massive wizard war would look like, and it seemed like he was getting a small sample of it now. Aurors and ministry members held the eastern side of Diagon Alley, whilst Dark wizards were taking over from the western side. Harry thought that Diagon Alley had looked bad a few days ago, but now it was horrible. The once smooth pavement was now smashed, and shops were burning down. Harry saw six redheaded men sending jets of light simultaneously towards the Dark wizards, and Harry rushed to join them, crying out "IMPEDIMENTA!" as soon as he reached the front lines of the battle.

No one had time to tell Harry off for being there, everyone was too busy sending off curses. Harry barely noticed that Ron had come up behind them.

"STUPEFY!" roared the Weasley men and Harry. Five out of the eight curses thrown found their target.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" screamed the dark wizards back. Six Aurors fell, dead.

"FLIPENDO!" yelled Bill and Charlie Weasley. Two Dark Wizards, one of them a Death Eater, flew backwards, crashing into the apothecary, landing in barrels of frogspawn.

Harry ran into the fray, yelling stunning spells, until a jet of silver light hit him.

Harry crumpled, hit by a knockout spell.

The next thing he heard was a wizard yell, "ENNERVATE!" and he snapped awake. He tested all body parts; everything seemed to be okay...

Harry jumped up and immediately returned to his position next to the Weasleys.

Harry saw, in the midst of the Dark wizards' ranks, a pale blonde boy whose mask had fallen off. Draco Malfoy.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" yelled Draco.

An Auror collapsed, dead.

Harry had had enough. "CONJUNCTIVITUS!" Harry roared.

Draco clutched at his eyes. Harry knew his curse had hit its target. Draco Malfoy would not be seeing anything anytime soon, maybe not for the rest of his life.

With a hideous shriek, Draco fell to the floor, his wand snapping. Harry, satisfied, turned around and launched a series of curses.

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

"STUPEFY!"

"IMPEDIMENTA!"

"DIFFINDO!"

Unfortunately for Harry, the only curse that met it's target was the severing curse, and all it managed to do was severely embarrass Lucius Malfoy as his more private body parts were shown when the severing charm ripped his robes open. Ron let out a groan.

"Man I did NOT need to see that... Harry!"

As Harry flashed Ron a grin, a cold sense of foreboding shook Harry. Only one thing could do that. Dementors.

They came pouring into Diagon Alley, making many of the Aurors and Ministry officials fall, trembling, as the worst experiences of their lives started to replay themselves. It became apparent to Harry that not many people could make a Patronus here. Five or six clouds of misty grey flew out of wands half-heartedly. Dark wizards were advancing. Harry whipped out his wand, thought of a world where he could live happily ever after with his friends, a world free of Voldemort, where all the people he loved were alive and happy, and bellowed, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

The silver stag erupted out of his wand, furiously repelling the dementors, attacking in a pure animalistic rage. It was not enough however; one stag could not overcome a hundred dementors. All the people that could still move ran.

Harry Potter stood alone, watching his Patronus beat back Dementors. He yelled, "Multiplicus Serpensortia!" Fifteen giant cobras flew out of his wand. Harry hissed, "ATTACK!"

It was no use. Eventually the Dementors and the Dark wizards had pushed to within ten feet of Harry.

All seemed to be lost as the wizards of the light trembled before the Dementors, when Albus Dumbledore appeared, with Fawkes by his side.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" roared Dumbledore, and five phoenixes flew out of his wand, assisting the lone stag. It seemed that Dumbledore's arrival, and Fawkes' phoenix song spurred on the Aurors, as they stormed into action, sending off multiple hexes, as the Dementors were pushed back by the patroni, the curses hit the dark wizards. Dark wizards that had not been hit shook in fear. Harry had read about how the phoenix song had different effects on different people, and he saw it visibly now. Aurors charged headfirst, whilst Death Eaters and other dark wizards ran away.

Seeing that their battle was lost, the dark wizards grabbed their associates and apparated out.

The dementors had no such luck. Between Dumbledore and Harry's patroni, the dementors were soon forced into a tight circle.

"What do we do with them!" asked Harry.

There was no mercy in Dumbledore's voice as he said, "Vanquish them."

"But professor... isn't it... I don't know how to!"

For a response, Harry saw Dumbledore draw himself up to his full height, and bellow, "MAXIMUS VANQUISHO!"

In a flash of pure white light, the dementors let out an otherworldly wail, and were no more.

Harry studied his Headmaster's eyes. There was no mercy, no twinkle of benevolence. There was blue fire, hate for the dementors. Harry now fully understood why Dumbledore was pronounced as the greatest wizard in the world.

"You shouldn't have come Harry." Dumbledore sighed, pocketing his wand.

Harry said nothing, but observed the damage done to Diagon Alley. Shops were smoking, and the once smooth street was blasted to bits. It would take a long time to fix. Many wizards, including the Weasleys, were running around casting extinguishing spells.

"It is a good thing that you did though, if you had not, then the Dementors would have overrun the ministry wizards, and Diagon Alley would be under the control of Voldemort. He didn't even manage to take it during the first war. You and Ronald have proven yourselves today, you are worthy of being in the Order."

Harry still stood wordlessly.

"I must go sort things out with the ministry. Please return to HQ, and stay there until September 1st."

"Draco Malfoy, sir. Will he be punished for his involvement with the Dark wizards, and casting the killing curse?" asked Harry, finally speaking up.

"Draco Malfoy will be expelled, and probably sent to Azkaban. We have captured Draco, we have eyewitnesses that he used the Killing Curse - he was writhing on the ground when we found him clutching his eyes for some reason when we caught him, but his father apparently escaped our clutches. I'm afraid I must leave, Harry. There are a lot of things to sort out."

With that, Dumbledore Apparated away.

The Weasleys and Harry returned to Grimmauld Place dirtied, tired and bloodied. Mrs. Weasley had immediately shrieked at Ron and Harry for leaving so abruptly, but calmed down when Mr. Weasley told Mrs. Weasley on how Harry had saved the day, and how Ron had saved Harry (So that's who revived me! thought Harry.) and Mrs. Weasley was beaming. Hermione and Ginny were not as easily swayed.

"We stay here being MEDIWIZARDS and you two witness a real wizard battle! Professor Binns had just asked for an essay on the most recent battle for holiday work... you two have a full account now! It's not fair!" exclaimed Hermione, her complaints revolving around schoolwork as usual.

Ginny's reaction was strange.

She drew Harry aside, and with a hurt expression in her eyes asked very nicely, "Why didn't you bring me?"

"Hermione and Mrs. Weasley needed you there, Gin. Remus was hurt pretty badly..."

"Rubbish. I wasn't doing anything and you know it."

"Ginny..."

"Don't Ginny me, tell me why you automatically ask Ron to go with you? Is it because he's your better friend? Is it because he's male, some kind of sexist thing? Are you afraid little Ginny's going to snap like a twig if she enters one little duel? Remember, you're not the only person that survived Voldemort, I'm not absolutely hopeless. _Colin_ sure treats me like an equal, why can't you? I thought we were a team Harry, the four of us, Luna and Neville..."

"You're right. I'm sorry," Harry said emotionlessly, and walked off.

Why was she so emotional about this? Was she jealous of Ron? Strange. He, Harry, didn't give half a thought to it, just motioned to Ron because it was natural. It wasn't as if he had insulted her or anything, she was busy helping to heal Remus... and why did she have to mention Colin? Deciding that he would never understand girls, Harry took a shower, then shut himself in his room, promptly falling asleep, and not waking up until dinner. It was not until he woke up did he realize that Ginny's words almost mirrored his own a few years ago.

The next morning, the Daily Prophet arrived.

_Battle of Diagon Alley - Defeat of Dark Forces_

_Dark wizards and witches alike assaulted Diagon Alley yesterday. Ministry officials and Aurors held Diagon Alley strong, but were steadily being pushed backwards, as they were outnumbered. Rumors say that Remus Lupin, ex-professor werewolf at Hogwarts had ran out of battle clutching a bleeding hole in his chest and flooed away, alerting Albus Dumbledore. Somehow, Harry Potter received this news, along with fellow student Ronald Weasley, they charged into battle. When the dementors of Azkaban came, it was Harry Potter yet again that saved many lives. With an unbelievably powerful Patronus, he held back the Dementors long enough for Albus Dumbledore to arrive on to the scene, and save the day. Once again, we as citizens of the wizarding world must thank Harry Potter. However, Harry Potter alone did not win the battle, as his fellow student revived him when a knockout spell cast by one dark witch or wizard unknown hit him, causing him to fall into the middle of the battle, unconscious. Needless to say, had he been left there, he would've been killed. Let us raise out glasses to the Boy-who-Lived, and the boy who saved him. _

_This article was written by Rita Skeeter._

_For a detailed description of the battle, and background information about Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley turn to page 8. For information on all Aurors and ministry representatives present, turn to pages 9 and 10._

"Well that's new, Skeeter actually saying something positive... Good job Hermione," Harry said, folding the paper, and giving it to Ron, returning to his meal.

Harry did not notice two girls looking very left out leave the kitchen.

The final weeks of the summer vacation passed quickly, and before Harry knew it, it was time to say goodbye to the Weasleys and Grimmauld Place. Packing his trunk, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny portkeyed to King's Cross station.

Making their way to platform 9¾, the four friends met up with Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, and Colin Creevey, along with Dennis, who tagged along behind his brother. Harry saw Colin greet Ginny with a kiss and a few whispered words that made Ginny turn red. Harry suddenly had a strong feeling of hate for the boy that held him in such high regards, since when had Colin changed, anyways? Looking away from Ginny and Colin, he saw Neville and Luna holding hands, walking to the invisible barrier, and disappearing. Neville and Luna? Harry never saw THAT coming... Walking towards the barrier, Ron and Hermione were half-heartedly striking up a conversation with little Dennis Creevey. At least something looks normal, thought Harry.

Wow, for once they all forgot about the Boy-who-Lived, thought Harry, as he walked through the barrier alone. Harry went to the prefects compartments up front, and was greeted by Professor Dumbledore himself. Harry waited until Hermione had come and sat down next to him.

"Reckon we'll have to make a speech, Mione?"

"Honestly Harry, aren't you ever going to read Hogwarts, a History? Of course we have to, I've been spending the last week making up a speech."

"But... I didn't know... could you make a joint speech with me?"

"Sure, if you want to talk about how the famous Boy-who-Lived is suitable to be Head _Girl." _Hermione smirked.

"Urgh..."

Dumbledore stood. Harry noticed that the room was now full of prefects.

"Welcome prefects. I won't keep you long, as I'm sure you all want to catch up with your friends. I present to you your Head Boy and Head Girl, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, who will go over your responsibilities as Head Boy and Head Girl. You will listen to them as you would me," said Dumbledore, and portkeying back to Hogwarts, probably to prepare for the arrival.

Hermione stood, dragging Harry up with her.

"Prefects of Hogwarts..." started Hermione.

It was a very long and very dull speech. Harry had switched his mind to thinking about Quidditch when Hermione slapped him on the arm.

"What?" Harry whispered.

"I'm done, its your turn."

Harry straightened up. "I'm no good with speeches like Hermione here." There were sniggers in the crowd at this. "I just want to inform say that you prefects will be vital to the security of the school, we will rely on your honesty and ability. Your task will be to stop dangerous deeds, and to be a role model to younger students." Ron yawned loudly in the crowd, and received a death glare from Harry in return. "Anyway, good luck, and don't let us down. Dismissed."

Harry watched as people filed out of the compartment, until it was just Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Colin and Luna there.

Harry watched spitefully as Ginny cuddled up to Colin. Did she not remember what happened this summer? Nothing did happen this summer though; it's just you that thinks so, said the pesky voice. Whatever Harry did think, he wanted to grab Colin's stupid camera and stuff it down his throat - but that would look conspicuous.

Now wasn't the time for an internal battle, Harry decided, and joined the conversation.

"Hermione's speech nearly killed us... could you have made that speech ANY longer?" said Ron.

"Well at least I covered what needed to be covered, which is more than I could say for SOMEONE..." replied Hermione scathingly, sending a look in Harry's direction.

"Well it wouldn't do me any good to repeat what you said, now would it?" said Harry.

"Yeah, that and because you don't know anything about the duties of a prefect!" laughed Ron.

"True... true."

Hermione smacked Harry playfully, which in turn he fell over playfully, crushing Hermione's feet under his elbow.

Hermione yelped, and Ron rolled his eyes.

"Exploding snap, anyone?"

Harry watched Hagrid and the first years get into little boats, for the traditional trip to Hogwarts by the lake, whilst Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny shared a warm carriage pulled by thestrals.

It had become a very chilly night, and the four friends were thankful that they didn't have to go on those tiny boats, where it would be freezing.

"There it is!" yelled Ginny.

Hogwarts - one of the only places where Harry felt at home. Over the years, he had gotten to know and love every corridor at Hogwarts, yet he often found new surprises. The castle of Hogwarts was purely magical. (A/N: Pardon the pun, couldn't think of anything else)

Harry led the way into the castle, where they all sat down at the Gryffindor table, and awaited the arrival of the first years.

"Come on, come on!" groaned Ron, clutching at his stomach.

Harry smiled. Some things would never change.

The first years, led by Professor McGonagall, walked through the doors to the Great Hall. Harry noticed that there were a lot more foreign students than he was used to seeing.

Hermione, who had obviously been thinking the same thing, whispered, "With Dumbledore AND you here, parents obviously think this is the safest place to be... which it probably is."

Conversation was pulled to a stop as the Sorting ceremony began - the Sorting Hat finished its song.

Harry counted the new students. There were 16 new Gryffindors, 24 new Hufflepuffs, 20 new Ravenclaws, and just 2 new Slytherins. Dumbledore looked worried. The two Slytherins were welcomed warmly at their table, but received glares from everyone else in the hall.

Dumbledore stood, and the hall fell silent.

"Welcome students, to another year at Hogwarts. As you all know, the wizarding world is in chaos. Yet we must not allow that to control us, or Lord Voldemort." Gasps and a shriek from a 2nd year Hufflepuff were heard.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued. "Or Lord Voldemort has already won. Quidditch, and trips to Hogsmeade will be continued, but for safety purposes, only fifth years and above may visit Hogsmeade. This year, we have a new club at Hogwarts, inspired by an underground club founded by our current Head Boy and Head Girl. This year, Alastor Moody will teach a select few the arts of dueling - both with wands and with swords. You know who you are already, as your letters would have told you to buy the necessary equipment. Now, before I let you all fill your stomachs, as I'm sure you're all desperate to do, our caretaker, Mr. Filch has added another two hundred and four items that are forbidden in Hogwarts. You may see the list outside his office."

Harry, Ron, and Ginny sniggered. "Fred and George have been doing well, eh?"

"Now, tuck in!" said Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye, as masses of food appeared in front of the students and staff.

After a massive feast, Harry and Hermione bid good-bye to Ron, Ginny, Neville and Colin, and went to the Head Boy and Head Girl dorms, where a portrait of a bearded man asked, "Password?"

"Err... Hermione? Do you know?"

"Honestly! Beauty Rest!"

The portrait swung open, and Harry entered.

Harry's first reaction was, "Wow."

Their shared common room was about half the size of the Gryffindor common room, with a large sofa in front of the fireplace, and two desks, which were labeled H. J. Potter and H. A. Granger.

Harry laughed. "Hermione, you never told me your initials were HAG!"

Hermione turned crimson, and said, "Well... which room do you want?" The common room linked to two staircases, supposedly to each person's room. Harry took the left staircase, and went up to his room. There was a private bathroom linking to the room, and a drawer for his clothes and trunk. Harry forgot that he lent Hermione his book on curses, which he planned to read a bit before going to bed, so he went up to her dormitory. When Harry knocked on the door lightly and received no response, he opened the door a crack. Harry chuckled lightly to himself. Inside, was his best friend Hermione polishing her Head Girl badge fervently like he had seen Percy do four years ago


	4. chapter 4

_Twilight_

_L.S. Song_

Chapter Four - Back to Classes

Harry woke up the next day, to find Hermione already changed and waiting for him in the common room. Harry and Hermione walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast, to find that they were nearly the last ones there. Ron handed them their timetables as they sat down.

"Urgh... first lesson back is potions... figured things were going too well for my luck," Harry said.

Ron smirked. "That's why I dropped potions! No more Snape breathing down my back..."

"But now you have to listen to Trelawney blabber about my death loudly so that you could tell me how I die..." Harry said. Professor Trelawney had gotten very upset that Harry dropped Divination, as it was her favorite sport to predict Harry's dramatic death(s).

"Oh well, I'll see you two in Charms."

"Wait, Ron, we don't have charms with the other seventh years anymore. Dumbledore's teaching us personally," Hermione said.

"What, why?"

"Head Boy and Girl have some new responsibilities this year, Mr. Weasley, so the Headmaster is tutoring them personally for that purpose," Professor McGonagall said.

"Right... okay then. See you in DADA then."

Harry and Hermione decided not to stop Ron again.

Quickly shuffling food into their mouths, Harry and Hermione rushed off to Potions.

"How nice of you to two to fit us into your busy schedule, Potter and Granger. Twenty points from Gryffindor, it wouldn't do to have our Head Boy and Girl be late for class now would it," said Snape with a sneer.

Harry and Hermione quickly sat at a table in the back of the potions dungeon and got out their equipment.

"The first two week assignment you have, will be brewing the immensely complex truth serum, Veritaserum. Who can tell me the main ingredients?"

Hermione's hand shot up.

"Potter?"

"I don't know Professor."

"Fifteen points from Gryffindor for your laziness. Couldn't be bothered to move your famous hand to open a textbook... Granger, what is the answer?"

"Ground Unicorn horn, and glassweed."

Snape made a sour face. "Correct."

As Snape went to write instructions on the board, Harry whispered to Hermione, "Who stuck a stick up his arse?"

Snape whipped around and took ten more points from Gryffindor for talking.

Harry groaned and went to work.

Harry and Hermione went up to the gargoyles guarding the entry to Dumbledore's office.

"Know the password, Mione?"

"No..."

"Well we'll just have to guess then."

As Harry opened his mouth to state all the sweets he could think of, the gargoyles moved, and Dumbledore emerged.

"Harry, Hermione. Come in."

The three of them walked into Dumbledore's office, and into a room behind the office Harry had never seen before.

"Now, do you two know the purpose of our special classes?"

"To enforce security for students, as we're the student leaders?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, but there that is not the only reason. Harry here, as you know, is the one in the prophecy that has to defeat Voldemort, and as much as I want to give Harry more time, we do not have that leisure. Voldemort must be stopped soon, whether it is in one year, two years, or up to five years. But know this. The wizarding world is in chaos. We can buy you time, Harry, but you must use it well. Hermione, you have awesome potential to be a great witch, I will try to bring out the best in both of you. This lesson is not just to teach you how to defend, but how to attack as well. Wands out you two, lets see what you're capable of."

Dumbledore drew his wand. "Don't pull your punches."

Harry and Hermione hesitated for a few seconds, and then whipped out their wands.

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!"

"STUPEFY!"

Dumbledore sidestepped Hermione's curse, and yelled, "PROTEGO!"

Harry's stunning spell was hurled back at him.

Harry fell on the floor, stunned.

"Stupefy!" Hermione fell.

"Ennervate," Dumbledore said.

Harry and Hermione awoke.

"Damn..."

"Can you tell me why you two failed, despite me giving you the advantage of striking first, and having the advantage in numbers?"

"Because you're stronger than us..." said Hermione.

"NO! It is because of the spells you chose to cast, and the fact that you two did not communicate. This brings us to our topic for today - The telepathy spell. It is a temporary spell that is often used before battle, to communicate without the enemy finding out. It lasts about ten minutes or so. The incantation is inteltransverto. This charm is used a lot by the Order. You may practice now."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other nervously. After a few tries Hermione had gotten it to work.

Harry was overwhelmed with thoughts at once. He could feel Hermione's thoughts and emotions.

_Hermione? Can you hear me?_ Harry thought at her.

Hermione showed no signs of hearing.

Dumbledore told Harry that he must also cast the charm, in order to establish a two-way communication.

"Inteltransverto," Harry said.

_Hermione, can you hear me now?_

_**Yes. Oh great it worked!**_

Harry could feel Hermione's delight in mastering a hard charm. It was strange feeling other people's emotions.

Dumbledore spared them a smile. "Okay. Now that you two have mastered the telepathy charm, try to hit me again. You may each cast five spells. Go."

_Hermione, you distract him with smaller hexes, I'll hit him with the snakes. Shoot slightly to his left side. We'll clamp him that way._

Harry felt Hermione agree, and yelled out his first hex.

"STUPEFY!"

Next to him Hermione yelled, "IMPEDIMENTA!" She hit Dumbledore on the arm, slowing Dumbledore's wand arm down by a bit, allowing Harry time to cast his next spells.

"MULTIPLICUS SERPENSORTIA!" yelled Harry.

_"Disarm only!" _Harry hissed.

The cobras were slowly gaining on Dumbledore, whilst Harry and Hermione flung more stunning spells, which were blocked. Dumbledore, after dodging Harry and Hermione's final hexes, said calmly, "Vanquisho Serpents," and Harry's cobras disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Better. Do you have your book Curses, Hexes, and Charms?"

They nodded.

"Turn to page 12 and read about the different time charms. Write a roll of parchment about time travel, and bring it in for tomorrow's lesson. Tomorrow we take a trip in time for learning. You may take the rest of this lesson, and our afternoon lesson to do this."

That left Harry and Hermione with a free day until after dinner, when Moody's dueling class would take place.

Hermione immediately started on Dumbledore's assignment. Harry, having nothing else to do, had no choice but to join her.

The book Curses, Hexes and Charms was an informative, yet slightly dull book.

_Wizards of Europe first developed the time travel charm. It would allow a wizard or witch's spirit to go to a specified time within a hundred years of present time. When Greyhound the fourth had discovered a way to gain a real body during the time switch, he created the Time-Turner, a magical device that would allow witches and wizards to travel a maximum of one day backwards in time. When a dark wizard got his hands on a time-turner, using it to murder eight witches and get away with it because of an alibi, time-turners were destroyed for the most part, only a few were kept by the Ministry of Magic for research purposes. _

_The charms to travel to the future have been lost through the mists of time, but one remaining spell allows a wizard to travel to the past. However, there is no way to return until the wizard's spirit has naturally lived out one month in the past. In the timeline where the wizard cast the spell, only one minute would pass. Currently, it is said that the spell is kept in the Department of Mysteries in London, England. No recorded use of the time travel charm has been found since 582BC. _

Harry was amazed. "Hermione... we're going to learn this? Do you... do you think I could go visit my parents in the past...?"

"Harry, this charm sounds extremely dangerous and unpredictable. Look at the book. No one's used it for more than 2500 years."

"Dumbledore said we'd try it."

"I'm not sure we should though."

"Don't you want to know what things were like about two decades ago? It would help with History of Magic..."

Harry hit her soft spot, education. "Come to think of it Harry, it should be quite educational." Hermione smiled.

"Now, lets get cracking on the essays."

Harry and Hermione went down to dinner early, finding Ron looking quite angry at having Harry and Hermione not tell him that he'd be by himself for charms AND Defence Against the Dark Arts. Harry knew him all too well now though, it was just a temporary thing, and Ron would be over it soon.

"Man, Turner is a slave-driver," said Ron as soon as Harry and Hermione sat down.

Mikail Turner was a Russian who had been employed by Dumbledore, and also the only DADA teacher that lasted more than one year since Quirrell. It was true however, that Professor Turner was unbelievably strict and demanding of his students. Harry knew it was because of Voldemort's rebirth and rise to power that compelled Turner to push his students.

However, Harry had no intention of getting Ron into a bad mood, so he said, "Tell me about it... anyway, are you looking forward to Moody's class?"

Ron nodded with his mouth full of potatoes.

Ginny and Colin sat down next to Harry, and immediately began shoving their mouths full of food.

Harry stopped eating totally. He looked at the way her hair was sleek and shiny, erupting in a spectrum of different reds, her silky skin, her deep, chocolate brown eyes, and her cute little freckles scattered about her cheeks.

"When you're finished staring at my sister, Harry..." said Ron, in a half hearted protective brother voice. Ron had tried to get Harry and Ginny together in his sixth year, Harry knew he didn't object at all to the idea of his sister dating his best friend - although it wouldn't happen of course.

"What? I was just daydreaming..."

"About my sister? My oh my what would Colin say to that?"

"What would I say to what?" asked Colin.

"Ron, no..." pleaded Harry, but it was of no use.

"Harry's been staring and daydreaming about your girlfriend... MY SISTER!" said Ron, sticking his tongue out at Harry as he did so.

Ginny and Colin both went red, although in different ways.

Colin was furious. "HARRY! I THOUGHT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS!"

Harry calmly said, "About what, Ron making things up? No I don't think so."

"I thought you agreed on me dating Ginny, and you insisted that you were just friends..."

"We are."

"Mmm..." muttered Colin, and ignored Harry for the rest of the time. Colin could tell that Harry was lying by the tone of his voice and the nervous shifting. Everyone could tell.

Ginny struck up a conversation with Harry about Quidditch tryouts and what they thought would be in Moody's class.

Harry was only half listening. Apart from being furious with Colin, Harry had finally noticed that Ginny was indeed beautiful. That only spurred Harry's anger at Colin. Why should COLIN get Ginny? Its not like Colin is smart or good-looking...

All and all, when the 4 Gryffindors stood up to go to Moody's class, Harry was not happy at all when Colin jumped up, slid his stinking arm around Ginny, and came with them. Apart from the five Gryffindors, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Ernie Macmillan represented Hufflepuff, Luna Lovegood and Terry Boot represented Ravenclaw, and Blaise Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle represented Slytherin. It became obvious to Harry that without Malfoy to follow, the two lumbering hulks chose the next smartest thing in their vicinity, the nasty blonde girl, Blaise.

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Mad-eye Moody walked into the room. Immediately he started the lesson. "You fourteen students are the top of your houses, recommended by your Heads of House. Welcome to Dueling classes, your reward."

"Let's have some volunteers for team dueling. Get into teams of two."

Harry immediately grabbed Hermione. Ron looked put out as he reached for Ginny, but Colin had already grabbed her. Ron was stuck without a partner, until he remembered Luna.

"OI LUNA!" Ron yelled, and immediately grabbed her. Poor Terry Boot was forced to partner with Blaise Zabini.

By now, everyone had paired up.

"Okay, lets have a nice friendly battle first. Potter and Granger. Ok Weasley and Creevey, lets see what you can make of the Head Boy and Girl."

Harry and Hermione walked up to one side of the stage and Ginny and Colin went up to the other.

Colin whispered to Harry on the way up, "I'm going to get you, Harry, you'll wish you never laid eyes on my girl..."

There goes the boy who hero-worshipped me once... thought Harry.

"On the count of three..."

"One..."

"Two..."

"Three!"

"STUPEFY! EXPELLIARMUS!" yelled Ginny and Colin.

"INTELTRANSVERTO!" roared Harry and Hermione, then sidestepping Ginny and Colin's curses.

_Hermione, get Ginny, I'll take Colin._

Harry heard no response, which he took to be an affirmative.

"IMPEDIMENTA!" shouted Ginny and Colin as one.

"PROTEGO!" shrieked Hermione. Jets of light from Ginny and Colin were rebounded back.

"MULTIPLICUS SERPENSORTIA!" roared Harry.

_"Bind the boy!" _hissed Harry to the snakes.

Ginny and Colin hesitated, then tried to stun the snakes. Harry and Hermione took advantage of this, and they sent two disarming charms, Hermione's hitting Ginny, making her wand fly away, and her fly backwards.

Harry yelled a cushioning charm, which broke Ginny's fall, but in return he got blasted off his feet with a cry of, "FLIPENDO!" from Colin.

_HERMIONE! ATTACK AT THE SAME TIME AS THE SNAKE, HE CAN'T DODGE EVERYTHING!_

Harry watched Hermione and two of the snakes duel against Colin. Hermione sent off a barrage of stunning spells, and one silencing spell which hit Colin. Without his voice, all Hermione had to do was keep hurling hexes until Colin fell. Harry gathered his strength up to help. "REDUCTO!" he yelled, burning a perfect round hole through Colin's hand.

Colin shrieked in pain - or would have if he didn't have a silencing charm on him, as he fell clutching his wand hand.

Harry and Hermione stood up and said calmly, "Finite Incantatem." Slowly, the other students applauded.

Mad-eye Moody stood. "Weasley, take Creevey to the hospital wing to get that hole in his hand filled."

Ginny walked Colin out, but not before Colin gave Harry a death glare that plainly said, "This isn't over."

Moody had now had the second set of people duel. Harry laughed inwardly as Ron started tap dancing, whilst Terry Boot grew boils all over him. Ron had stunned Zabini a few seconds into the duel, and Luna eventually nailed Boot with a stunner, a few minutes later.

Eventually, Moody put up a table, announcing that the scores from each duel would be kept.

Name Wins

1. J. Finch-Fletchley 1

2. H. Granger 1

3. L. Lovegood 1

4. E. Macmillan 1

5. H. Potter 1

6. R. Weasley 1

7. T. Boot 0

8. V. Crabbe 0

9. C. Creevey 0

10. G. Goyle 0

11. V. Weasley 0

12. B. Zabini 0

Moody set no homework, besides to look into curses and hexes if they wanted to avoid losing in the duels. Next lesson was to be an introduction in sword fighting, and they would rotate between wand and sword dueling throughout the year.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron met up with Ginny outside the hospital wing, as Harry and Hermione promised to show them the Head Boy and Girl living quarters.

As the four friends climbed into the portrait hole (Beauty Rest!), Ron and Ginny let out very audible gasps of shock.

"And this is just for you two?" Ron said in indignation.

"Well we might be able to persuade Dumbledore to allow you two to share the dorms with us..." said Hermione.

"Yes!" yelled Ron and Ginny.

"Just you two though. No one else," Harry said, looking at Ginny.

Ginny looked puzzled, then remembered about Colin. She nodded, but gave Harry a somewhat skeptical look.

"But then again there's only one bed in each dorm... we could always conjure up one though..." Hermione said, always looking at the practicality of things.

"I'm going to see Professor Dumbledore about this and you know what, Hermione. I'll meet you guys later," Harry said, and left.

Harry walked along the corridors. He was lucky he was Head Boy now; Filch or Snape could no longer question his presence in the corridors.

Harry approached the gargoyle, only to remember he still didn't know the password.

"Err... Sugar Quill, Chocolate Frog, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Fizzing Whizzbee, Chocoballs..."

Harry had already listed all the wizard sweets he knew, and went on to muggle sweets, until he said, "Licorice stick." Finally, the gargoyles moved aside.

Harry made a mental note to ask Dumbledore for the password every time it changes.

Harry knocked on the door, and heard Dumbledore say, "Come in, Harry."

"Hello Professor. I have two questions to ask, if you have the time?"

"Do ask them."

"Okay, Hermione and I were wondering if we might be able to share our living quarters with Ron and Ginny?"

"Hmm... that really is your own choice - the dormitory you are in is your property until your position as Head Boy is finished. Why not?"

Harry smiled. "Professor, you said we'd be taking a trip in time? Were you referring to using the time travel charm?"

"Whatever makes you think that I know the charm? If you read the book, I'm sure you know that it hasn't been cast for more than 2500 years..." Dumbledore said, but with a twinkle in his eye.

"It'd seem to be natural that you'd know how sir, the book also says a select few wizards know how to do the charm nowadays, and I bet my entire vault's worth of money that one of them is you."

"Yes, indeed Harry. We will go back in time, to any time you want. I'm assuming that you will choose to meet your parents?"

"Yes sir."

"Well now you have your chance. Before I forget, tell Ms. Granger that the house elves will bring you something early in the morning. I want you two to come down at seven o'clock sharp - this spell will take a while to learn. Also, bring enough supplies to last a month. We'll be going that long. As for Ronald and Virginia, they do best to return to their dorms for tonight. Oh and one last thing, Harry. You will take lessons during the time-travel with your parents, as they had more tricks up their sleeves than you could imagine."

"Yes sir. Good night," Harry said, and walked out of Dumbledore's office.

When Harry had returned to the dorms, he found Ron and Ginny playing exploding snap, and Hermione with her nose buried in a book.

"Good news you two. You guys are free to stay with us any time you like - if that's okay with the Head Girl of course." Harry smirked at Hermione.

"YES!" Ron and Ginny exclaimed.

"But you guys have to go back now. I have some things I need to discuss with Hermione, and then we have to get to bed early."

Ron groaned, but Ginny just gave Harry a good night hug and left. Ron soon followed.

When the room was empty again besides for Harry and Hermione, he flopped down on the sofa next to her and said, "Hermione, tomorrow we go on a one month excursion. We'll be spending most of the day perfecting the spell, and then we'll go back in time. Now, Dumbledore said that we have to bring supplies to last us a month, disregarding food."

"ONE MONTH?" exclaimed Hermione.

"Well actually, it'll only be about one minute, but we'll live one month back in time. You don't have to come if you don't want to of course, but as you know, it IS educational." Harry grinned. "Plus this will be counted as extra work in our charms N.E.W.T.s. That's not why I'm going though... I want to meet my parents... Seventeen years Hermione... seventeen years I've never known them..." Harry's voice broke.

Hermione leaned over and pulled her friend into a hug.

After a while, Harry had gathered himself, and whispered, "Thanks Hermione..."

Hermione said, "No problem Harry, that's what friends are for. I'm glad you don't mind that its me comforting you rather than Ginny..." Hermione winked.

"Ginny?"

"Harry, I know. We all do. Well we all do besides Ginny, but that goes without saying, right? She wouldn't be with Colin if she knew. Your problem is Colin's found out..."

"Found out about what, Hermione? I told you, there isn't anything with me and Ginny."

"Harry, look me in the eye and tell me you have no romantic feelings for Ginny Weasley."

Harry lifted his head, and stared into Hermione's eyes. "I have no... oh my god... GINNY?"

"I rest my case Harry. You could floo to Gryffindor Tower and have a talk with her now if she isn't asleep."

"Thanks Hermione. Don't wait up for me. I might be awhile."

Harry grabbed a fistful of floo powder, put it in his pocket, grabbed another fistful and threw it into the lively crackling flames, yelled Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts, and stepped in. Tumbling out of the fireplace, he saw Colin and Ginny sitting on a couch, locked in a tight embrace. He just heard Ginny say, "It's just Harry... don't bother with him..." before the couple noticed him.

Harry felt torn between anger and hurt. There was his best friend, and his recently discovered crush telling her boyfriend that he wasn't to be bothered with. He felt betrayed.

"I'm not to be bothered with, huh Ginny?" Harry straightened up, glaring the redhead in the eye.

For the two sixth years, looking at Harry was a terror. There stood the Boy-who-Lived, towering above them, his emerald green eyes burning with rage and his black robes engulfing him in a cloak of shadows.

Ginny stood. She knew that lying would not do any good, Harry could see straight through almost anyone. "Harry. I was just trying to make Colin feel better... to tell you the truth he's dead jealous of you... I just told him that there's no reason to be... that I have no feelings for you and you have no feelings for me... and that there isn't any us, nor is there a chance for it to ever happen..."

The rage in his eyes disappeared, replaced by an expression of pain. "Isn't there, Ginny?" he whispered.

"I found out tonight that I love you Ginny Weasley. Obviously I shouldn't have told anyone. Colin was right. I do love you, more than he ever could. I realize that it is too late for me, and I missed my chance at happiness because I simply wasn't smart enough two years ago to realize the feelings I had."

Harry lowered his voice even further. "I'm sorry Ginny, for ruining your moment. Goodbye Ginny."

"Harry..." Ginny started, tears welling up in her eyes.

There was no response. Harry threw the floo powder that he kept in his pockets into the flames, yelled Head Boy dormitories, and disappeared.

Ginny knew would see Harry tomorrow, but little did she know that Harry wouldn't see her for a solid month.

Falling out of the fireplace, and collapsing on the sofa, Harry, for the first time in his whole life felt his heart break due to a girl. Harry was not about to cry though - he had braved the Cruciatus curse without shedding any tears, he certainly wasn't going to shed any tears because of his own stupidity.

Harry suffered the night on the couch, falling asleep due to sheer exhaustion. Harry did not notice a redheaded girl with deep brown eyes unfold out of the fireplace, grabbing him a blanket and laying it on him, departing with a goodnight kiss on the cheek, and a whispered, "Sweet dreams, Harry. We'll talk tomorrow."


	5. chapter 5

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Five - Godric's Hollow

Harry woke up the next day, puzzled at seeing a blanket on him. Hermione must've put it on me, he thought.

"I'll have to remember to thank her," Harry said aloud.

"Thank me for what, Harry?" said Hermione, who was taking a bread roll out of the picnic basket the house-elves had left.

"For the blanket."

"What blanket?"

"You didn't put the blanket on me?"

"No... must've been a house elf."

"Oh okay..."

"Here, have a roll." Hermione tossed a butter roll at Harry. "We've got about twenty minutes left... so hurry up and eat so we can go."

"I haven't packed yet..."

"WHAT!"

"I haven't packed yet!" Harry ran from the room, stuffing the whole butter roll into his mouth.

Harry threw things into a day-bag, three sets of robes, one set of casual clothes, and his invisibility cloak. Harry thought better safe than sorry.

Harry slung the bag over his shoulder and ran down to meet Hermione, who was already next to the portrait hole.

"Come on! We're going to be late!"

Harry and Hermione sprinted out of the portrait hole, to Dumbledore's office. Hermione paused at the gargoyles. "Oh no, we don't know the password!"

"_Honestly _Hermione!" said Harry in a perfect imitation of Hermione. "Licorice Stick!"

"Licorice? Disgusting..."

Harry and Hermione knocked on Dumbledore's office door. "Come in," they heard.

"Professor, sorry we're late," said Hermione breathlessly.

"Oh, not at all. How was your breakfast? Satisfactory I hope?"

"Oh yes, it was delicious."

"All I had was a roll..." Hermione elbowed Harry in the chest.

Dumbledore laughed. "Well that won't fill a growing man's stomach will it?" With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore conjured up a plate of sandwiches.

"Eat up, whilst I explain the theory behind the time-travel charm."

Hermione cast Harry a disapproving look as he started shoveling sandwiches into his mouth.

"The time-travel charm is to allow one's essence, spirit if you will, to enter the fourth dimension and fly backwards, hence traveling backwards in time. Wizards have honed this charm to allow a person to choose exactly when and where they want to go, with certain limitations of course. I have further developed the charm to take our bodies back. The incantation is 'Tempus Rewindo' followed by your stated time and destination. Wand movement is a full circle going anti-clockwise. Remember that, you MUST NOT go clockwise, or your body will be transported into the future whilst your mind goes to the past - or so my theory says. Needless to say, it would be very hard to reunite your body and spirit when they're in different timelines, making it impossible for you to do any counterspells. Now, practice the wand movement, follow my demonstration." Dumbledore swung his wand around in a circle, then flicked when he reached the starting point of the circle. Red smoke stayed in place where Dumbledore's wand had traced through the air.

Harry and Hermione did as they were told, but it was a couple of times before Dumbledore was satisfied with their wand movements.

"Good. Now, put your wands down and practice the incantation."

"Tempus Rewindo, December 1979, Godric's Hollow," said Harry and Hermione as one.

Harry shot Hermione a curious glance. "You want to go meet my parents too?"

"Of course I do, and its better if we stick together anyway."

"Right."

"So, we have our destination planned already I see. Okay, before we go, we will need a method to convince Lily and James that we are not hostile, and we are who we claim to be. The easiest way to do this is the memory duplication charm, which shouldn't be too hard for you to master. The incantation is 'memoirtransverto', you may practice now."

Harry wasn't certain he wanted to do this. Hermione looked equally nervous.

"Well... I'll go first then. Memoirtransverto!" said Hermione.

Harry saw Hermione's life flash before him. Memories as a little child, licking ice cream and playing jump rope, to a nervous eleven year old placing the sorting hat on her head, to a frightened girl as they went down the trapdoor to retrieve the Philosopher's Stone, to the cold emptiness of being petrified, to the fright of Dementors and riding a hippogriff in third year and the joy of helping Harry free his godfather...

Harry grimaced. Hermione's crushes now flashed through his mind. Victor Krum, and Ron. Blissfully, the crushes ended, and Harry saw the whole fight at the department of mysteries through Hermione's eyes, feeling her own admiration for his ability to think under conditions like that. Then was the sixth year - Hermione's year with Ron. Harry shut his mind at that, and said, "Yeah it worked. My turn, I suppose. Memoirtransverto!"

Hermione's eyes glazed.

Slowly, tears began welling up in her eyes. Hermione then winced a great many times, until a big, knowing smile appeared on her face, only to be wiped out again.

"Oh HARRY!" Hermione hugged him.

Harry was uncomfortable. He could not think of any words to say, so he gave a pleading look to Dumbledore over Hermione's head.

"Eh-hem. I know it is trying to experience Harry's life in such a short period of time, but we really must get going on our field trip before the rest of the school gets up. Our bodies should only disappear for one minute, but it would be hard to explain if someone saw. So, on the count of three then?"

Harry and Hermione picked up their wands.

"One..."

Harry checked his watch. It read 8:19.

"Two..."

Harry thought of Ginny, and how he had left things with her at a bad note. Harry stiffened, knowing he wouldn't see her again for another month. Well at least he could think of ways to get back on her good side whilst he was away...

"THREE!"

Three voices yelled, "TEMPUS REWINDO, December 1979, GODRIC'S HOLLOW!"

The sensation was strange. Harry felt a jerk from all directions, making him feel rather stretched out, and then his mind spun around and around and around, until he landed face first into a red and gold carpet.

Harry felt Hermione next to him, and he saw Dumbledore's boots next to his face.

How did the headmaster never fall over when using strange forms of travel?

Harry heard his voice, "LILY, RUN! THEY'VE FOUND US, I'll head them off!"

James Potter ran into the living room and sent out a flurry of stunning spells. Dumbledore produced a shield out of thin air without an incantation, which absorbed all of James' stunners.

"Dumbledore?" uttered James in disbelief. "Who are those two people, and why is one of them disguised as me? Are these Death Eaters you captured?"

Harry and Hermione stood up.

Dumbledore said, "I should hope not, James, as these two are Head Boy and Girl at Hogwarts in the year 1997. More importantly, that boy is not disguised as you... he is your son."

James laughed. "Now come on, Albus, seriously. Who are they?"

"My name is Harry James Potter. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, dad," said Harry, looking his father in the eye. Harry felt like he was looking into a mirror, only James Potter's eyes were brown and he did not have a scar.

"Oh my god, you're not joking are you Albus... He has my looks and Lily's eyes... but wait... how did these two come to our time?"

"With a lot of research and a bit of my help. They are here to learn, James."

"You came from the future too?" asked James, disbelieving.

"Dad, can I transfer some memories to you to show you?" asked Harry, almost timidly. "If you hear me saying anything else other than memoirtransverto, you may stun, or kill me, whichever you wish."

James Potter nodded, but kept his wand up.

Harry waved his wand and said softly, "Memoirtransverto."

James Potter stood, quietly at first, until his body had begun shaking violently. When he looked up, he was fully convinced.

"Oh... oh my god... me and Lily died? You grew up with those pathetic muggles?" stuttered James.

"And you went through all of that without a family? DAMN PETER!"

"I did gain a substitute family though, the best I could ask for. The Weasleys, Hermione, Hagrid, Remus, and... and Sirius..."

In response, James yelled, "Lily! Come here! You'll never believe this!"

Lily Potter walked into the room. She had shoulder-length dark red hair, and almond shaped emerald green eyes. Harry smiled at the sight of his mother; she was just as people described her. Beautiful.

"James, what is going on? Oh hello Albus... who are those two?" said Lily Potter very fast.

"Lily, that is our son... the one you're just pregnant with right now... that's his best friend Hermione Granger... and that's Albus 18 years later... those three have just come here by a time-travel charm..."

Clearly, Lily Potter was not convinced.

Whipping out her wand, she yelled, "FINITE INCANTATEM!"

Nothing happened. Harry, Hermione and Albus stayed exactly the same way they did, James Potter looked like he was about to laugh, and Lily Potter turned bright red.

"Lily, let Harry share his memories with you. You'll understand then."

"No way am I letting some random stranger who is probably a Death Eater perform a spell on me, no matter how much he looks like you, James!" yelled Lily, still brandishing her wand.

"Mum, I honestly hope you have better thoughts towards your own son than to think he's a Death Eater," said Harry.

Lily Potter met her son's eyes, and saw no hint at a lie. "Fine, do your spell."

"Memoirtransverto."

Lily's reaction was almost exactly the same as James'. At the end of it, however, Lily Potter was in tears. She looked down at her yet to be born son, and the seventeen-year-old standing before her.

"I'm sorry that we let you down, Harry," whispered Lily.

Lily ran and gave Harry a hug. Wordlessly, Harry smiled at the fact that for the first time in his life that he could remember, his own mother hugged him.

Hermione, Albus and James watched on, with a smile on their faces, until James walked to his son and wife and joined them in their happiness.

"So why are you three here?" asked James and Lily the next morning, over platefuls of eggs and ham.

"The wizarding world in our time is darkening again, Voldemort has risen for the second time, and his influence is rapidly spreading. You know of the prophecy, I trust? Well Harry will need some training up, and who better to train him than one of the top Aurors, and the most brilliant charms inventor the world has seen for many years?"

"Oh stop it Albus, you're making me blush!" said James sarcastically, batting his eyelashes.

Everyone roared with laughter.

"But seriously, won't this training mess up the timelines or something?"

"No James. We are currently in a separate timeline, created just for the use of us. When we return to our timelines, we will be the only ones who have any memory of this period of time, however, should we choose to return again, you will remember us the way we are. In the 'real' timelines, you are currently eating breakfast with Lily by yourselves, going off to work later on, and returning home late at night. In this timeline, you can do whatever you wish. You see, the current time-line does not really exist. Time travel is a very complex thing, and I'll be glad to explain it later James, should you have forty or so hours to spare."

"Okay... I got it. We're supposed to train my son and his best friend to be Aurors?"

"More or less, that's the idea. Your main task is just to teach Harry and Hermione here as many tricks as you can. I'm sure you two have learnt some during the war so far?"

James and Lily nodded, but said, "We can have some time with Harry alone though, right?"

"Of course. I suggest daytime for lessons and nighttime for talking. I myself have a few people I must visit. I will return in a few days," said Dumbledore, who then apparated away.

"Okay then, what exactly do you two already know?"

Hermione was now in her element. "Mainly defence spells, and a few attack spells like flipendo and reducto..."

"Okay... how about we start on training tomorrow, and we just talk for today. I'd really like to get to know my son, seeing as we won't live to watch him grow up... How about you two tell us some stories?" said Lily.

The rest of the morning was spent lounging about in the living room of Godric's Hollow, a warm, comfortable place. Harry and Hermione had just been describing vividly how they helped Sirius escape, when Sirius himself popped his head in through the fire. "Hi Lily, James, do you two mind terribly if I pop on over for lunch? Wormtail is out and I can't be bothered to cook something up..."

Lily rolled her eyes, and said, "Yes sure Sirius, we have some company though. Promise me that you won't do anything stupid when you see them. We'll explain when you get here."

A few seconds later, Sirius rolled out of the fireplace, with a cheery smile.

"Hello Lily! Hello James! Hello James... what?" Sirius stared at Harry.

"Harry Potter, nice to meet you." Harry stood up and shook Sirius's hand. "Of course I have met you before... but that's a whole different timeline."

Harry swelled with happiness, seeing his godfather once more.

After the situation had been described to a disbelieving Sirius, they had lunch at Diagon Alley.

Harry observed that although Voldemort was nearly peaking in his power, the people at Diagon Alley walked around without a fear. Obviously this place was a haven. Harry and Hermione had a nice day out with Lily, James and Sirius, returning late at night after going to several shops and buying unique artifacts that would ridiculously expensive once Harry and Hermione returned to their own time. Harry bought himself a silver chess set, a gold set for Ron, a delicate looking watch for Ginny, and a book that had been outlawed after Voldemort's defeat in their own timeline - _Deadly Curses and Hexes: Defence by Attack _by Scott Marlowe, which was true to its name, containing many extremely dangerous spells that little did Harry know, would soon need to be used, and not for practice either.

"Harry, may we have a word with you before you go to bed?"

"Sure," Harry said, "I'll see you later Hermione."

Harry followed Lily down into the kitchen where James already sat at the table.

"Harry, when you transferred some of your memories, I could tell that something is bothering you, something that isn't related to your mother and I dying, nor Sirius dying. Do you want to tell us what it is?" asked James. "We could help."

"I don't think so, dad. It's a girl problem," said Harry sadly.

"Who better to ask than me then?" James asked with a smirk.

"Fine... well I suppose it started really in my second year, when I went to visit my friend Ron Weasley at the Burrow, and his little sister Ginny had a crush on me..."

Harry had felt much better after he let it out of his system. He had raged at Colin Creevey, and described Ginny in such vivid detail that he was surprised James and Lily had sat there wordlessly listening to him, and had not fallen asleep.

In the end, they said that he had no choice but to let the situation sort itself out. Harry wasn't really expecting any advice, but he was all too happy to let his frustration out of his system. Harry was surprised to find that he slept much better, and he was fully rejuvenated when he awoke the next morning.

"Come on Harry, we have classes!" squealed Hermione in delight.

Harry sprung out of bed, but then groaned. "Do you think I'll have to call my parents Professors Potter and Potter?"

"I'd be horrified and insulted if you did, son," James said, looking into the room. "Come on down when you're ready."

Harry and Hermione walked down the stairs, lured by the smell of Lily's cooking. After a hearty breakfast, Harry and Hermione had their first lesson with James and Lily.

"Today, we learn about different types of destruction curses. The simplest is the 'Destructo' incantation, which shatters a simple item, like a vase."

"Destructo!" said James.

A vase broke into a thousand little pieces.

"Reparo," said Lily.

The pieces twisted and turned and reformed into a whole vase again.

"This spell by itself isn't very useful at all, unless you need to break something that you couldn't do with your hands. What you will need to learn is the Bone crusher spell. The incantation is, 'Skelestructo!' When the spell hits a certain area of the body, any bones in that place a shattered into a fine bone powder, and then absorbed into the blood. There is no counter curse to this, the only way bones can be regrown is through a new invention, Skele-Gro."

"That's unpleasant stuff... I tried it back in my second year."

"Did you? How did it feel?" asked James curiously.

"It was pretty painful, I mean it's like you're drinking liquid bone and its spreading through you..."

"Excuse me, Potter men, we were in the middle of something here," snapped Lily.

"Yes, Professor Potter, it won't happen again, miss," chorused Harry and James, who then gave each other high-fives and laughed.

Lily and Hermione rolled their eyes and Hermione said, "Honestly Harry, we're trying to learn here!"

"Yes, that's the Head Girl talking," muttered Harry so that only James could hear him.

"Anyway, if you hit someone in the head with this, you could imagine what would happen..."

All four people grimaced.

Days flew quickly by, with learning exquisite and often dangerous spells in the daytime, and sitting in the cozy living room at nighttime. Hermione had now gotten very comfortable with Harry's parents, and was constantly chatting to Lily. Harry was in total bliss - almost. He was certainly very happy, the past few weeks spent with his parents were heaven, all Harry ever really wanted. But deep down, Harry knew it wasn't real. Despite his joy in spending time with his parents, he missed Ginny horribly, and wished he could've left her with a happier note.

One night, the final night before Harry, Hermione and Dumbledore would be taken back to Hogwarts, James drew Harry aside once more.

"Harry. It has been wonderful to meet you, and knowing that when you go back, we will never be there, Lily and I have filled a Pensieve with our memories, so you can be with us even if we can't be with you." James took out a smaller version of the Pensieves that Harry had seen before; it fit into the palm of his hand. James handed it to Harry.

Harry took it with a nod, and pocketed it.

"Also, I have some advice to you about your girl. I believe that you needed some advice?"

Harry nodded, but thought to himself, didn't he already give me advice?

"Couldn't do this with Lily around, cause I'd never hear the end of it if she found out... well did you know that me and your mother never got along until the seventh year?"

"Yes..."

"Really, how?"

"Snape's Pensieve and information from Sirius."

"Right, anyway, I always had a little bit of a thing for Lily, and I tended to be, err... more of a showoff around her. I thought that was the best way to impress her by being cool. Well, Harry, do NOT try that. I wasted about 4 years doing that. It was when I gave up on my crush and acted normal that she finally fell for me. Oh... Padfoot never let me hear the end of that one..."

"But dad, it's different with me. I already missed my chance with Ginny..."

"Harry, you don't understand yet. Give it a bit of time and you'll find that you've fallen for her, and fallen hard. My point is this... when you realize that, be nonchalant but be sweet to her, be there for her if she gets hurt, and your patience will pay off. Not in the history of the Potter house has a Potter male lost his true love."

Harry smirked at that, but said, "Thanks dad, I'll keep that in mind."

"Okay, you and Hermione go to bed or something... I've got something I need to talk about with your mum..."

Harry nodded, and grabbed Hermione, saying, "Mum, dad wants to see you. Come on Hermione."

When the two had reached their bedroom on the second floor, Hermione and Harry slumped into their respective beds.

"What did James want, Harry?"

"To give some fatherly advice to me."

Hermione smirked. "Ginny?" she asked.

Harry nodded, and Hermione let it drop.

"You know, Harry, I've been having some weird thoughts lately."

"Oh yeah?" asked Harry sleepily, only moderately interested.

"Yeah... must be the whole one month of separation thing, but I think I've got that crush on Ron again..."

Harry snapped awake. "What?"

"Oh I don't know Harry, when Lily, I mean your mum told me stories about how she got together with James, it kind of sparked my desire for a boyfriend again... and I do miss Ron, even if it's just as a friend..."

"Mmm..."

"Harry?"

Harry looked up at Hermione.

"We won't do that again, I promise. I've learnt my lesson, friendship is more important than spending the maximum time with a boyfriend. After all, friendship lasts longer, doesn't it?"

Harry smiled. "Hermione, I don't mind if you and Ron get back together... honest. I want you two to be happy, and if that makes you two happy, then who am I to stop it?"

Hermione yawned and said, "Harry, you can be the sweetest thing you know? I hope Ginny realizes what she's missing soon, or someone's going to come and snatch you up."

Harry turned red. He took his wand, and whispered, "Nox Totalus."

"Goodnight, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Harry."


	6. chapter 6

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Six - Of Duels and Death Eaters

Harry and Hermione were packed, ready to leave. Dumbledore had just apparated to Godric's Hollow, and alerted them that they had fifteen minutes before they were taken back.

"Harry, could you come here?" asked Lily.

This was the part that Harry had been dreading more than anything. Saying goodbye to his parents would be the most painful thing he'd ever have to do.

A muggle saying flew into Harry's mind as he walked numbly towards his mother. "Better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all." Only now did Harry realize the truth in it. Despite the fact that it was not romantic love, he was glad that he had spent this month with Lily and James.

James, Lily and Harry Potter stood wordless. None of them could think of anything to say. Finally, the three of them locked in a tight embrace, that lasted several minutes.

"Harry..." sniffed Lily.

"We want you to know," said James, also looking like he was struggling to control his emotions.

"We're proud of you son... More than you could imagine..."

"Do not be scared, and do not be sad, when you return to your time Harry. The future of the wizarding world lies with you. Show Voldemort what it means to be a Potter," said James.

Lily, whose tears were now sliding rapidly down her face, stuck an envelope in Harry's pocket. "Read it when you need us Harry."

Harry lost it. For the first time he could remember, he cried. Cried in joy of finally getting to know his parents, cried in pain for losing them again. Again, Lily had locked her son in a hug.

"Bad time?" asked Sirius, who was standing a few feet away from them. "I wanted to say good bye to Harry..."

Harry finally had the chance to say good-bye to his beloved godfather; something had been stuck inside Harry for more than a year.

"Sirius... thank you for everything... I never got a chance to say goodbye at the Department of Mysteries... I'll miss you just as much as I miss my parents..."

Harry couldn't take it anymore. He walked slowly away from his parents and godfather.

"One minute Harry," called Dumbledore's voice.

"Harry... we love you," said Lily and James together.

Sirius nodded and said, "That goes for me too."

"Goodbye Harry."

"Goodbye Mum, Dad, Sirius... I love you all too."

And with a jerk, Lily and James Potter, along with Sirius Black, were no more.

Harry collapsed in Dumbledore's office, tears running down his face.

The grandfather clock in Dumbledore's office read 8:20.

Hermione had pulled Harry into a hug awkwardly, and Dumbledore just looked on.

By lunchtime, Harry had calmed down. There was no evidence to show that he had been crying except his now slightly red eyes.

Harry obviously had not given much thought to the fact that in real life, only a minute had passed. Seeing a disgruntled Ron, and Ginny next to him, Harry ran towards them and pulled them both in a hug, saying, "I missed you two so much!" Harry remembered too late that Ginny wasn't happy with him.

"Err... right Harry. You just missed one History class, it wasn't that long apart," said Ron, looking at Harry as if he was slightly insane. "Why did you skive off History anyway?"

"Have you been crying Harry? Your eyes look awfully red," said Ginny.

"HA! The famous Harry Potter was CRYING? Oh my god, I need to get a picture of this one," said Colin Creevey.

"Sod off Creevey, take your camera somewhere else."

"No wait... my camera broke when I last took a picture of you... capturing you in its lens must've caused it to burn up..."

"Go away, you slimy git."

"You know what? I know why Malfoy always hated you now. You just strut around all day..." Colin was stopped there as his teeth and chinbone disappeared, and the bottom half of his face slumped.

Harry, pocketing his wand said, "I told you to sod off Creevey. Go run to the hospital wing, before you do something stupid and make me mad again."

Colin fled, clutching his face with his left arm. Harry caught a bit of black as Colin lifted his arm up a bit too high. Harry also noticed too late that Colin's eyes had a deadened look in them.

Harry gasped. It was the Dark Mark.

"That was uncalled for, Harry!" yelled Ginny.

"Ginny, he's a Death..."

It was no use. Ginny tore after Colin, leaving Harry very miserable indeed.

"Did you see what I thought I saw, Harry?" asked Ron.

"The Dark Mark... Colin?" said Harry, Hermione, and Ron at the same time. "But what about his eyes... they looked deadened... like the imperious curse..." pondered Harry.

"I have to see Professor Dumbledore," continued Harry.

"No, we have Care now. You can see him afterwards."

Harry grumbled, but followed Ron and Hermione as they trudged off to a session of Care of Magical Creatures.

Hagrid had not changed one bit. Still as loud and as big as ever, the only difference was that there were lines of worry on the half-giant's face.

"Hey Hagrid!" greeted Harry enthusiastically.

"All righ' there Harry, Ron, Hermione?"

"All right," they responded.

As the rest of the Gryffindors and the Slytherins appeared, Hagrid began his class.

"I've got a real treat for you seventh years. This project will last your entire year, and count for your N.E.W.T.s. There are fourteen eggs in here, one for each of you. In there are seven different species. Your task for the whole year is to let your animal hatch, and to raise it; you may keep the creatures as pets when you graduate, or you can give them back to the school. There will not be any classes, but I'll be here if you have any questions," said Hagrid.

"Line up to pick up your egg."

Everyone ran into a line, no one wanted to be left with one of the two sinister looking black eggs that were shaking violently.

Harry was about sixth in line, and he picked a small egg with a red and gold pattern. It felt warm in Harry's hands. Immediately he felt glad that he had chose the egg. It had an aura of warmth around it.

With that, the seventh years left Hagrid's hut. Harry looked at Hermione and Ron's eggs. Hermione's was a brown egg with specks of blue, and Ron's was a plain gold colored egg.

Hermione immediately went to the library to check on different types of egg, and hopefully to find out which species hers was.

Harry went to Dumbledore's office, only to find that he wasn't there. Harry left a note with Fawkes.

_Professor Dumbledore, _

_Urgent discovery, can I see you after Professor Moody's class?_

Harry and Ron sat down at Gryffindor table in the Great Hall to plan out their Quidditch strategy for the year, and who to ask to join the team. Ginny was to try out for Chaser for sure, but she was the only person that was definitely trying out. The Gryffindor team was composed of Harry, Ron, and two beaters called Andrew Kirke, and Jack Sloper, for now, and they would hold tryouts tomorrow evening.

"Ron, why is Ginny going out with that creep Creevey?" asked Harry out of the blue, after an hour of discussion.

"I don't know... Colin wasn't that bad a guy until recently... since when do you care who Ginny dates anyway?" asked Ron suspiciously.

"Ron, you know why."

"Sweet Merlin, Harry, why now? Why couldn't you have done this two years ago?"

"I was stupid, alright Ron?" Harry sighed.

"Is this irony or what? My sister pines after Harry Potter for god knows how long, ever since Mum read her the story of how you 'conquered the Dark Lord', she tries to get you to notice her for more than three years at Hogwarts, and about two years later you reverse roles."

"I knew it. I KNEW IT! You're trying to steal my girlfriend!"

"Nice to see you got your teeth and chin bones back, Creevey, are you coming to lose them again?" snarled Harry.

"What's going on here?" asked Ginny who had just come up behind Colin.

"Potter here was discussing with your very own brother how to steal you away from me!" pronounced Colin.

Harry stood, as he was more than a head taller than Colin, this was an impressive move. "We discussed no such thing."

"Liar!" spat Colin.

"I don't lie, you worthless Death Eater."

"Better a Death Eater than a liar and a coward like you."

"Who's a coward?"

"You. If you aren't prove it. I challenge you to a Wizard's duel at midnight, inside the Dark Forest. Meet outside Hagrid's hut."

"You're on, Death Eater, my second is Ron, who's your second?"

"Ginny. Although I don't need a second to beat you two."

"Ginny wouldn't be your second, would you Ginny?" said Ron.

There was a long pause as three pairs of eyes burned into Ginny, fiery green, ice blue, and mud brown.

Ginny said, "Has it occurred to any you that I might not want a part in this at all?"

Ginny ran, and Colin soon followed her.

Harry stared a hole into Colin's retreating back, "You don't mind backing me do you, Ron?"

"Mind?" asked Ron incredulously. "I wouldn't miss you kick that little Death Eater's arse for anything... well not unless you were kicking Malfoy's arse..."

"Speaking of Malfoy, has he been sent to Azkaban?"

"Yeah, Dad told me last week. The problem is, there's nothing guarding Azkaban anymore. The dementors have all sided with Voldemort, all that's stopping all the criminals in Europe from escaping is a vast ocean and an anti-Disapparation jinx."

It was with a dark mood that Harry, Ron, and Hermione went down to Moody's sword dueling class after dinner.

"Today's topic is dueling, the in form of fencing. The sport of fencing developed out of the formalized sword duel. The duel of honor, which first became prevalent in the early 16th century, may have had roots in both the single combats of the medieval tournament and in the notion of 'trial by combat', which dated to Norman times. The weapon most commonly associated with early dueling, the rapier, also originated in the 16th century. The rapier had a narrower blade than the medieval broadsword, and was optimized for thrusting attacks although it could also be cut with. Contrary to popular conception, rapiers are not any lighter than broadswords, as they tend to be very long, and usually require the wielder to have some additional device like a small shield or parrying dagger in the off-hand to use for defence. With changes in technique and fashion-- the swords were essentially gentlemen's sidearms, worn as much for style and status as for defence-- the rapier was gradually lightened and shortened into the smallsword of the 18th and 19th centuries. The smallsword was quick enough to be used for both attacking and parrying, eliminating the need for a separate parrying device. The fighting styles developed for the smallsword are the direct ancestors of modern fencing techniques. Killing in a duel had long been outlawed by the beginning of the 1800's, and by the 1820's the wearing of swords had passed out of fashion-- fencing was moving into the realm of sport. Sport fencing was originally done only with the foil, the blunted practice sword used to teach the basics of swordsmanship. In the second half of the century, the lightweight dueling saber gained acceptance as a sporting weapon. The practice of duelling continued to be found through the late 19th century and into the early 20th century, though by this time duels were rarely fought to the death. The thrusting sword often used in these duels was heavier and stiffer than a foil, and the nature of the weapon and the duel required a somewhat different set of techniques and tactics than used in bouts with the foil. This weapon eventually became standardized into the fencing epee," lectured Moody.

"However, a fencing epee is not a weapon one would use in a real swordfight, so we will start off by learning with the real killing sword, the Longsword. Of course, your swords should be blunted, and an impact-absorbing charm shall be placed on each of you before you duel."

Colin looked particularly nasty at this comment.

"Now, get into partners and we'll see how you can do without instruction," growled Moody.

Ron grabbed Hermione, and smiled at Harry. "Tough luck, mate."

Harry turned to Ginny at the same time as Colin.

"Gin?" Harry asked.

"Come on sweetheart, don't bother with famous Potter."

Ginny found herself torn again, but this time she made a choice. Harry's eyes pleaded with her, and she snapped out of something, as if Harry's look broke a charm that Colin had on her.

Ginny walked to Harry, and said, "Come on."

Harry grinned like a Cheshire cat, and whispered, "Thanks Gin."

Colin shot Harry a murderous glare. "All the more reason to kill you tonight," he hissed. "You treacherous excuse for a human being Weasley, consider our 'relationship' over and done with. You chose Potter, now you have to accept the consequences," said Colin, raising his voice.

Harry grabbed Colin by the collar, and smashed him against a wall. "Threaten Ginny again and you won't even have time to dread the consequences. You'll be dead like this." Harry snapped his fingers.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Potter, let that boy down."

Harry walked over to Moody. "Look through his shirt, at his left arm."

Moody turned around, looked and gasped. "That's a Dark Mark, boy. I'm going to go see Dumbledore immediately... end this lesson for me, Potter. Don't do anything stupid. Damn, I should've looked through every student...I never thought Creevey would be initiated... he's a muggle-born, never thought Voldemort would want one of them... never in all of his history has he initiated a muggle-born witch or wizard... but that's it! Who would suspect a muggle-born?"

With that, Moody swore and hobbled out at an amazing speed.

"Everyone, lesson is canceled, go back to your dorms. Hermione, Ginny, Ron, come here for a second."

Everyone filed out besides for Colin, who had a shrewd look on his face.

"Funny I don't remember your name being Hermione, Ginny, or Ron."

"Oh don't worry, I don't want to breathe in the air that you pollute with your presence any longer than I have to. Just seeing if you decided to chicken out on our wizard's duel or not."

"It's not every day I get a chance to kick Death Eater arse, Creevey. I'll be there, the question is will you be there?"

Colin nodded once, with a sick look of satisfaction on his face and left.

"Hermione, Ginny, one of you should come under the invisibility cloak to call for help in case this is a trap. It's not big enough to fit both of you enough so you can run if you need to. Ron, stay in Hagrid's hut with Hagrid, use his fire to call Dumbledore if there's something wrong."

"I'm going," stated Ginny. "Plus, Hermione can't be caught out - she's head girl, think what that would look like."

"But what about Harry? He's head boy!" spluttered Hermione.

"Since when have rules applied to Harry?" smirked Ron.

"I'm going under the cloak, Hermione. You can stay with Ron if it makes you feel any better."

"Harry? Who would you rather have go?" asked Hermione, pulling Harry into a trap.

"I don't care. Flip a coin."

"What?" asked Ron and Ginny.

"It's a muggle way of deciding who gets something. There are two sides to each coin, each person chooses a side and whichever side faces up after flipping the coin into the air and landing wins."

"Got a coin, Mione?"

In response, Hermione took out a sickle from her pocket, flipped it and called out heads. The coin span around and around and landed on tails.

"Damn. Ginny you win, you go with Harry."

Ginny smiled, "Damn, I'm good at this."

Harry's plan was set in motion, when Ron, under the invisibility cloak, ran to Hagrid's house. Harry just saw Ron and Hermione materialize and give the thumbs up sign through the omnioculars, when he grabbed his wand and said, "Accio Invisibility Cloak." Harry didn't see it, until it smacked him right in the face.

Handing it to Ginny, they made their way down to Hagrid's hut.

Halfway there, Ginny said quietly, "Harry... I'm sorry about the whole thing with Colin... and err... I want you to know that I..."

A loud crack stopped them both in their tracks.

"Decided to show up, huh Potter?"

"Creevey."

"Come on, we're going deep into the forest... where's your second?"

"I decided that I don't need one, I don't plan on dying today."

"Funny thing is, Potter, I agree with you. I don't plan on dying today either."

Harry and Colin now stood in the clearing that Hagrid's giant brother Grawp had made during Harry's fifth year. Strangely, none of the creatures that inhabited the forest had been seen or heard by Harry so far.

Harry felt a pair of lips through his invisibility cloak graze his cheek, and a voice whisper, "Good luck."

Harry hoped Ginny had enough sense to stay out of the way.

"So... now we duel."

From a bird's eye view, a tall black haired boy and a short brown haired boy could be seen circling around, holding their wands in attack position, ready to strike.

"On the count of three, Potter?"

"Three..."

"Two..."

Colin bellowed, "CRUCIO!"

Harry fell to the floor, letting out one shout in agony. White-hot knives pierced every bit of his skin. Harry wished for death, so he could see his parents and Sirius again... but then he remembered a certain redheaded girl standing invisible, probably silently screaming at the sight of her friend on the floor, yelling.

Filled with emotion, the Boy-who-Lived did something that had never been done before. He stood up, and shook the Cruciatus curse off.

Rage was burning in his eyes again. "You filthy little maggot. Figures a Death Eater

would cheat on a duel of honor... it was my fault I suppose that I forgot that you lost all your honor when you joined Voldemort, Creevey."

"DIFFINDO!" yelled Harry. "SHOW YOUR MASTER'S DISGUSTING LITTLE TATTOO!"

Colin's left sleeve was severed from his robe, and Harry saw the Dark Mark on his skinny upper arm.

"Enough of this Potter. AVADA KEDAVRA!" Colin roared.

Harry rolled out of the way, and yelled, "Skeledestructo Totalus!"

His spell went a bit to the left, and missed Colin.

"Good, mudblood, you served your purpose," a new voice said.

"Lift the imperious curse, son. Let Potter see whom he's really been arguing with. We can put it back on later... this mudblood may be of some use yet."

Harry glared at the intruders, and then at Colin.

Colin Creevey looked puzzled, then horrified, and then he slumped to the floor as a voice yelled, "Stupefy!"

Harry swore.

"Well Potter, I guess its me that gets the pleasure of delivering you to the Dark Lord. I told you that you chose the wrong side Potter, on our first train trip to Hogwarts... remember that Potter?"

It was Draco Malfoy, who was bent over Colin Creevey, apparently examining any traces of injury. That meant that the other Death Eater was Lucius Malfoy.

Harry found himself outnumbered two to one. He remembered Ginny was in the area, and tried to think of some way he could communicate with her. He thought of the communication charm, but he remembered that he had to at least know the location where Ginny was at, when he felt a hand prod him.

Well he had the location now.

"Before you think of doing something hopelessly heroic and stupid, remember that there are two of us, and just one of you. If you even start the incantation to stun one of us, the other one of us will kill you... oh how we've all waited for this day to finally come, the great Harry Potter fails at last..." gloated Malfoy senior.

Harry whispered, barely moving his lips, 'Inteltransverto."

_Ginny, can you hear me? If yes, tap me on the shoulder once._

Harry felt a tap.

_Ginny, at the count of three, stun the Malfoy on the left. Don't settle for one stunner, shoot as many as you can... better safe than sorry. I'll get the one on the right. Tap me again when you're ready._

Immediately, Harry felt another tap.

_One..._

"Are you listening, Potter? It's not very polite to ignore your captors..."

_Two..._

"Enough of this, come here now Potter, drop your wand on the floor where you are now."

Draco Malfoy, who had just stood up and looked behind Harry, and gasped audibly. "FATHER, THERE'S SOMEONE BEHIND POTTER!"

_NOW!_

"STUPEFY!" roared Harry and Ginny ten times in succession - there was no need though, the first two hit their targets.

The Malfoys, with no time to react, fell to the floor.

"Thanks, Gin. Now come on, help me get these three up to the castle... and just to be safe..."

Harry walked over and took all three of their wands, before saying, "Mobilicorpus!"

Harry and Ginny ran out of the Forest, with the floating bodies of Malfoy, Malfoy, and Creevey in front of them.

"RON, HERMIONE, HAGRID!" yelled Harry.

The three sprinted out of Hagrid's hut, but not before Dumbledore had reached them.

To Harry's surprise, he was absolutely livid.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING? YOU COULD'VE BEEN KILLED HARRY! YOU SHOULD'VE CAME STRAIGHT TO ME!" roared Dumbledore.

"Professor Dumbledore. I wasn't aware of any of this... Creevey challenged me to a midnight duel and..."

"Did it not occur to you, even after spending a MONTH with the one of the best Aurors of the century that it might be a TRAP?"

"Yes it did... that's why I had Ginny come under the invisibility cloak..."

Dumbledore now calmed down and sighed. "Harry, you must not keep risking your life like this, one day you might not be lucky enough to come out alive."

"I know, but this was something I had to do. For personal reasons."

"I understand Harry. Now let us try to get some information out of these three..."

"I have an idea."

Everyone turned towards Harry.

"Place a memory charm on the Malfoys, so they can report back to Voldemort with bad information... but Colin... Colin was under the imperious curse. They won't need him anymore, so he'll have to be kept safe."

"Yes... yes. What type of trap to set though...? Hmm..." pondered Dumbledore.

"Professor? What is my punishment for being out of grounds and persuading others to join me?"

Dumbledore sighed again. "No punishment, Harry. You did a good deed tonight; just don't keep pushing your luck any further. Now, go back to the Head Boy and Head Girl dorms for tonight. Good night."

Harry walked back up to the castle silently, with Hermione, Ron, and Ginny in tow.

"Stinking Malfoy!" cried Ginny, when they had gone through the portrait hole. "I'm so stupid, this is all my fault! I should've known that Colin would never have acted that way towards me..."

"What way?" asked Ron and Harry simultaneously, jolting out of their reverie.

"He wasn't _Colin... _He was sweet, romantic, comforting... it wasn't natural! How could I not have seen?"

Ginny slumped to the floor.

"Gin, everything is alright now. Colin will be protected here at school and they'll deal with the Malfoys."

"You don't understand, Harry... it's my fault I didn't see... its my fault that Colin suffered a whole YEAR under the curse... it's my fault he has the Dark Mark now..."

"Ginny." Harry's voice was hard now. "Remember your first year? How you suffered the whole year under the influence of Voldemort? Do you blame me for not figuring it out until it was too late? Do you think it's my fault?"

"No, of course not... don't be silly... but..."

"Then Colin won't blame you, and this isn't your fault either. Even Moody didn't notice Colin. Stop blaming yourself, it's not your fault."

"You don't understand... I was practically a DEATH EATER'S GIRLFRIEND FOR A YEAR!"

Harry opened his mouth but found that no words came out. Despite himself, Harry felt jealous of Colin.

Harry stood up, apparently to go up to his dorm, but turned around and instead of voicing the question he dreaded to hear the answer to, he asked, "Remember when I blamed myself for things that happened in the past?"

Ginny nodded slowly.

"I needed some time to let it go, to mull it over, eventually learn acceptance and self-forgiveness, so time is what I'll give you, but when you're ready, you know you can talk to me. Good night, Ginny," said Harry softly, pulling her into a hug, then walking away.

Harry caught her eye once more, seeing endless emotion in those deep brown orbs, and walked up the stairs to his room.

Meanwhile...

"Severus, please administer the Veritaserum to these two."

Severus Snape walked to the motionless forms of Draco and Lucius Malfoy, and placed three drops of the clear liquid each of their mouths.

"Ennervate."

"What are your names?" questioned Dumbledore immediately.

"Lucius Malfoy," said the blonde on the right.

"Draco Malfoy," said the other one in a toneless voice. Dumbledore noticed that both of Draco's eyes were magic rolling eyes - someone must've ruined his real eyes with a conjunctivitis curse.

"How did you two escape from Azkaban?"

"Our master freed us a week ago, by breaking into Azkaban."

"How, why and when was Colin Creevey put under the imperious curse and initiated into the ranks of the Death Eaters?"

"Filthy mudblood wouldn't have been suspected. Our Lord had a plan to watch Potter all year, observe his social life, to find a weakness and strike. Creevey was also to watch the muggle lover Dumbledore. Draco put the imperious curse on Creevey a year ago when he sent him a note, supposedly from Potter to meet him down at the Quidditch field," Draco and Lucius Malfoy continued tonelessly.

"When was Voldemort planning to attack Mr. Potter?"

"I don't know."

"What instructions have been given to Creevey?"

"To spy on Potter and observe Dumbledore, and to cause trouble for Potter any way possible. The mudblood was supposed to get into fights with Potter at any small excuse."

"What has Colin Creevey found out and reported?"

"Potter has feelings for the Weasley girl."

Dumbledore looked shocked for a moment, but then said, "What is Voldemort going to do with this information?"

"Kidnap the girl, and use her as bait, if he could not get Potter tonight."

"What was your plan tonight?"

A stupid smile came over Draco's face. "Our lord sent us to collect Potter from Creevey at midnight, under a ruse of it being a wizard's duel. Creevey was to lead Potter deep into the forest where me and my father were waiting..."

"Why were there not more Death Eaters awaiting?"

"Our master said that our presence must not be revealed until the plan has been executed."

"Why didn't you just stun Mr. Potter and take him?" asked Dumbledore curiously.

"Potter ruined my life... I wanted him to suffer and be humiliated before we took him to the Dark Lord."

"Where is the Dark Lord now?"

"London, England, in Knockturn Alley."

"What are his plans?"

"Nothing at the moment, just waiting for the opportunity to strike at Potter or Dumbledore."

Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you Draco, Lucius, that will be all."

"Severus?"

Snape nodded.

"OBLIVIATE!"


	7. Chapter 7

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

sorry I haven't updated in awhile I've been really busy so i decided to post a few chapters well here you go

Chapter Seven - The Halloween Ball

"All right, you three, get into the air! Andrew, Jack, whack bludgers at them when I give the signal," yelled Harry.

It was the Quidditch tryouts, and twelve hopeful students came to exhibit their skills. Ginny Weasley, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom were up.

Neville had greatly improved over the years, and now looked like he could fly all right, but he was still way behind the standards that Harry and Ron had expected from the tryouts. In fact, only Ginny, and Seamus had managed to put any goals past Ron so far. The rest of the people trying out were, there was no other way to put it, absolutely hopeless.

Since Colin had been released from the imperious curse, his attitude and skills had returned to normal. He no longer was the self confident, and annoying person Harry grew to hate, but the timid, now even paranoid boy that had always followed Harry around. Colin had lost all of the imperious-gained power that came from Malfoy, and when he came to try out, not surprisingly, he could barely fly in a straight line.

In Harry and Ron's opinion, Ginny, Seamus and Neville were the best three, so they teamed them up to see how well they'd fare against Ron. Ginny (riding Fred or George's Cleansweep Seven) outstripped Seamus and Neville by a considerable amount, as they were still on the old school brooms, the Shooting Stars.

Ginny, Seamus and Neville streaked towards Ron, tossing the Quaffle from one person to another, trying to bait Ron into concentrating on one person. Eventually Seamus tossed the Quaffle high into the air, which was grabbed by a speeding Ginny who spun around a bludger and threw it backhanded into the left hoop, just a split second before Ron's long arms reached out over the exact spot where the spinning Quaffle had been.

Ginny, Seamus, and Neville were doing a celebratory lap around the field.

Harry noticed despite himself how Ginny's hair flew behind her, a curtain of red whipping through the air. Her Weasley inherited flaming red hair flying behind her; blending perfectly with her black Hogwarts school robes (People trying out were not given the Gryffindor Quidditch robes until they were accepted into the team).

Harry was snapped out of his daze by a bludger that almost took his head and Ron's voice, "OI HARRY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Harry immediately turned on his Firebolt and streaked down towards Ron. Needless to say, he felt like an idiot for staring at Ginny Weasley when he should have been observing their plays more carefully.

"Well, what do you think? Who's the best so far?" asked Ron.

"Ginny, one hundred percent, no competition," replied Harry, looking at Ginny who was now flying in formation with Neville and Seamus.

"Yeah... I agree with you on that... but who should the other two be?"

"Seamus and Neville I guess... they work pretty well as a team already."

"Okay then. OI GIN! SEAMUS! NEV! COME HERE! EVERYONE ELSE, DISMISSED!" yelled Ron.

"Bit crude, don't you think Ron?"

"Congratulations, you're on the team. Practice on Saturday morning at five," said Harry with a smirk, when they had come over.

"FIVE? IN THE MORNING?" cried Neville.

"Oh don't be such a baby Nev," laughed Seamus, giving Neville a shove.

This wasn't the smartest thing to do. Neville, already in shock, was in no condition to hang on to his broomstick. He fell.

Harry and Ginny swore, and simultaneously bolted downwards towards Neville.

Harry's Firebolt outstripped Ginny's Cleansweep, and before long, he had caught up to Neville, grabbed his hand, and swung him onto his broomstick. Neville let out a cry of pain as his entire body weight was grabbed through his hand, causing a sharp pain in his wrist.

The two combined weights slowed the Firebolt down by a lot, but Harry quickly brought Neville down. Neville looked petrified, but other than that, he was unharmed.

"Dammit Seamus!" cried Neville. "You scared the magic out of me!"

Seamus was caught between laughing uproariously and apologizing profusely, and ended up just spluttering, then collapsing in a laughing fit.

Harry suddenly realized something that he hadn't noticed for six years about Ginny Weasley. He, Harry, of course came diving down right after Neville - it was his very instinct, or as Voldemort would say his 'love for playing the hero'. But what he didn't suspect was that Ginny just came streaking down right at the same time as him. Somehow, he had never thought of Ginny as the heroic type, and immediately admonished himself for it. Harry suddenly had a feeling of admiration for Ginny's character, not just for the subtle beauty on the outside, but for the very noticeable beauty on the inside.

Ron was patting Neville on the back awkwardly, Jack and Andrew were laughing with Seamus. Ginny was staring right back at him with an eyebrow raised and a mischievous smile lit on her face.

Harry snapped out of yet another trance and with a smile at Ginny, they went to go help Ron with Neville, who was still wide-eyed and pale. The new Gryffindor Quidditch team walked up to the Great Hall for dinner.

Life at Hogwarts had returned to the norm, besides for the fact that Harry was now doing satisfactory in potions, and when teamed with Hermione, they could last ten minutes in a duel against Dumbledore, before the old wizard got the better of them. Harry was glad to see that Ginny had returned to normal, besides for being slightly ashamed of herself for not noticing Colin. Unconsciously, she had severed her connection with Colin, as they no longer shared a common room, and she tended to work with other people during class. Harry was unashamedly glad that Colin had left Ginny alone.

Harry now had taken to walking around at all time's with the red and gold egg either under his arm, or in his bag, as it started to shake by itself every once in a while. Despite looking in many books, Harry could not find what he was looking for.

Harry found that Parvati had also had the same egg.

"Any idea on what it is?" he had asked a few weeks ago, at dinner in the Great Hall.

Harry was surprised that instead of getting a straight answer, he found Parvati flirting with him outrageously, asking him if he really wanted to know the answer or just wanted to talk to her?

This drew a lot of attention from Ron. At that point his face turned red, and he buried himself in one of Hermione's books, and when Parvati had finally left, Ron grabbed Harry, led him away from his steaming bowl of soup, outside the hall and cornered him.

"DO YOU LIKE MY SISTER OR NOT? IF YOU DO YOU BETTER STOP FLIRTING WITH PARVATI IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!" Ron yelled, spit flying all over the place.

"Actually Ron, if you didn't notice, it was just Parvati..."

"WELL YOU SURE LOOKED LIKE YOU ENJOYED IT! I have half a mind to go tell Ginny now!"

"Tell me what? Hi Harry... Tell me what?"

Harry was uncomfortably reminded of a situation that had arose in the summer before his fourth year at the Burrow, when Mr. Weasley had been telling Fred and George off for giving Dudley a ton-tongue toffee.

Despite himself, looking at the expression on Ginny's face caused Harry to roar with laughter, collapsing against Ron, who shook him off.

"Tell me what, Ron?" said Ginny, now starting to look dangerous.

"Nothing Ginny, just err..."

"Nothing Gin, Ron's just being an arse cause Parvati was flirting with me." Harry laughed again.

Ginny paused, then asked, "And Ron finds this a way of threatening you by saying he'll tell me... why is that?"

Harry stopped laughing immediately then. The words that came out of Ron's mouth made Harry want to disappear.

"Cause he supposedly likes YOU Ginny!"

"What?"

"You heard me, he has something for you, if you know what I mean. I caught him writing a poem about a 'beautiful red-haired girl' when we were in History... hmm... who could that have been?" Ron said, pulling a face.

"But then again, you can't blame Harry can you? Sitting through Binns' lectures awake is an accomplishment to be proud of," said Ginny with a smile. Harry was puzzled, there was no trace at all of the shy girl who was taken into the Chamber of Secrets in his second year.

"Harry has the hots for you and you have nothing to say?"

Harry had gone to a shade of deep red at this, but to his surprise Ginny was nonchalant.

"He has fine taste," she had said, and then walked off to dinner.

Nothing had been said about this topic since then, and Harry had taken to admiring Ginny from a distance, watching her help first years with difficult charms, watching her fly around the Quidditch pitch at night time, and sharing nights talking about classes, dueling, and Quidditch in the Head Boy and Girl common room. Ron and Ginny had moved in a few days after Colin Creevey had been released from the curse.

Harry observed that Colin had pulled away from everyone besides his own little brother, Dennis. Despite the fact that Harry knew that Colin was under the imperious curse, and he did not blame him one bit for it, Harry and his friends no longer felt normal in his presence. Colin had dropped out of Moody's classes, and unfortunately, no one could say they really missed him.

What bothered Harry more was his situation with Ginny. They had continued on as best friends, but Harry often wondered if Ginny took Ron seriously, and if she did, why this topic was never brought up.

But tonight was not a night to have any doubts about his situation with Ginny. Harry stood waiting nervously in his own dorm. It was one day after Dumbledore had announced a Halloween ball, and three people had already approached Ginny, probably for a date to the ball, but before any could say anything, a pained look from the Boy-who-Lived, the symbol of the wizarding world, as he watched the boys walk up to Ginny from a short distance behind her was enough to make them change their minds, make up some excuse to talk to Ginny, then walk away almost immediately. Harry realized and appreciated the fact that others were giving him a chance, and also knew that he shouldn't push his luck. He had asked Ginny to come up to his room after dinner on the Friday before the ball, so he could ask her something in private.

Harry heard voices outside the portrait hole, and a few seconds later, Ginny and Hermione came into the portrait hole, giggling madly.

"Hi Harry... guess what just happened? RON ASKED HERMIONE TO THE BALL! Oh yeah, Hermione, that's twenty Galleons you owe me now."

Harry was delighted for Hermione, remembering how she said she might have some feelings left for Ron during their one-month trip to Godric's Hollow.

"What did you say?" asked Harry unnecessarily.

"Oh Harry, you're so adorably naïve! Of course she said yes!"

Hermione beamed, like Ginny had just announced Hermione as queen of the world.

"Oh, I just remembered, did you want to ask me something?"

Hermione covered her mouth at this, but was unable to hide her giggles. "I'll leave you two alone for this, shall I?"

"No, don't bother, I'm sure Harry won't mind you overhearing whatever he has to ask..."

Hermione collapsed in a fit of giggles, now positively writhing on the couch.

"Now that's attractive," said Ron, who had just come in through the portrait hole. "What's going on?"

"Harry was going to ask a question?" replied Ginny, prodding Harry.

"Err... Hermione? Ron? Do you have to turn furiously red and cover your mouths while I do this?"

Ginny was still painfully confused, or at least acted like it.

Hermione and Ron didn't move, purposely not taking Harry's hint.

"All right, all right... Ginny, will you go to the ball with me?"

Ginny gasped. Apparently she didn't expect that.

"Damn..." stuttered Harry. "It's okay if you don't... I mean I just, you know... wondered... I mean..."

"He's been 'wondering' ever since the beginning of year," said Hermione to Ron in a very audible whisper, struggling to hold back even more giggles.

Ginny still stood wordless, making Harry feel very uncomfortable indeed.

"I'll treat you to a day at Hogsmeade? Anything you want to do, on me," said Harry in an attempt to lighten up the assumption that a refusal was about to come his way. Harry flashed Ginny a smile.

"Well, since you put it that way... sure!" Ginny pecked him on the cheek, and returned his smile.

"Our little Ginny's all grown up, and turned into a... a... SCARLET WOMAN!" yelled Ron, and he had collapsed into a fit of laughter.

"And you, Potter, I knew you had it in you! Good going!" continued Ron once he broke out of his most recent laughing fit. He frowned. "No wait that doesn't sound right... I'm complimenting you on getting a date with my sister... On second thought, you better watch yourself Potter!"

At this, Hermione grabbed Ron, and pulled him into her room. Loud roars of laughter could be heard.

"Alas, why does the world enjoy me make a fool of myself so much?" pondered Harry.

"Because you're so much cuter when you're embarrassed," said Ginny.

"You're... you're... you're one to talk!"

"How does that make any sense?" Ginny giggled.

Harry couldn't bear it anymore; he joined in with the laughter.

Hermione and Ron heard Harry laughing, realizing it was safe again to come out. The rest of the evening was spent light-heartedly, playing chess and exploding snap, until Hermione looked at her watch and said, "Oh my god, it's four in the morning!"

The four friends went to bed, and didn't wake up until noon the following Saturday.

Two boys woke up and greeted each other unenthusiastically. Walking to the shared bathroom between them and starting to brush their teeth, both boys remembered something at the same time, with toothpaste foam in their mouths, turned around at each other, and exclaimed, "QUIDDITCH PRACTICE! OH NO!"

Obviously, this wasn't the smartest thing to do. Apart from swallowing a bit of toothpaste, Harry now had bits of foam on his hair, looking ridiculously like mousse that hasn't be applied properly, and Ron's chin had gained a small foam beard.

"UGH!" yelled both boys after spitting out the toothpaste and rinsing.

"Gin, WE FORGOT ABOUT QUIDDITCH PRACTICE!" yelled Ron and Harry.

A sleepy redhead and a bushy haired girl came out of their room, moaning.

"What are you on about?" yawned Ginny.

"QUIDDITCH PRACTICE! IT'S A SATURDAY!" moaned Ron.

"Ron, let it go, no use crying over spilt pumpkin juice..."

"They're going to tease us... they'll say we were doing stuff in our little private dorms... ugh..."

"Oh well, what will come will come. C'mon let's get dressed and go to breakfast... err... lunch. Meet you down here in five, Gin, Mione."

"You obviously don't know much about girls if you expect us to be ready in five minutes, Harry," said Hermione.

"Fine, HAG, be down here in fifteen," said Harry, smirking at Hermione.

"HAG?" questioned Ron and Ginny, looking at Harry for a second, wondering why he had just insulted Hermione.

"Don't you dare tell them, Harold James Potter!"

"Of course not, my dear Hermione Anne Granger..." Harry let out a loud fake sneeze that sounded like "HAG-CHOO". "Oh, nasty hag, I mean bug going around..."

Harry ran up to his dorm, hearing laughter below, and Hermione yell, "POTTER!"

Harry heard Ron exclaim, "When did McGonagall get in here?" followed by a loud, "HMPH!" and even more laughter.

When everyone was finally ready to go, which was about half an hour later, they found the Great Hall practically empty, lunch was drawing to a close.

Whilst Harry ladled what remained of the tomato soup into his bowl, and picked up a sausage roll, Luna Lovegood approached them, with Neville in tow.

"Hello, haven't seen you four for a long time. I was just wondering, do you all want to go to Hogsmeade next week, after the Ball? You know, to catch up."

"Actually," Ginny giggled. "Harry's promised me a date. We can meet up with you four later though..."

Hermione blushed. "Well seeing as you and Harry are running off... Ron has promised me something similar too..."

"Hermione! I thought you two were 'over'?" exclaimed Harry in mock surprise.

"Okay... well I guess that's just a day for us then, Nevvie. Shall we go to Madam Puddifoot's?"

Harry snorted out loud. He honestly could not imagine Luna Lovegood going into the little teashop, which was a haven for couples that needed a good long snog without getting interrupted. He had been there with Cho, Parvati, and Lavender.

Neville and Luna gave Harry a slightly peeved look, whilst he saw Ron fighting to keep a straight face.

"Sorry," Harry said, way too late, as Luna and Neville walked away.

"Next time then!" they called after them.

Harry suddenly remembered something. Last year, at the Christmas ball, he had seen many couples exchange gifts before attending, and Parvati had been quite upset when he showed up empty-handed.

Harry would not let that happen this time around with Ginny, although he knew that she wouldn't really mind if he showed up with nothing - she was far too kind a person. Plus, she had gone with Neville once, and Colin the second time, neither were particularly gentlemanly, and neither of them could dance. Nevertheless, Harry knew it was time to get his dad's invisibility cloak out again.

"Ron, come here!" Harry hissed, as they walked out of the Great Hall.

"I need to go buy Ginny a gift for the ball, would you mind covering for me?"

"I most certainly would! I haven't gotten Hermione a present though... and quite inconveniently, I haven't got a Galleon to spend."

Harry sighed. "Fine, we'll make an excuse saying we're going somewhere secret to go plan out a Quidditch strategy or something... we can both fit under the invisibility cloak to get to the witch's hump and in, right?"

"Reckon so... hang on, I'll go make the excuses."

Thankfully, Hermione and Ginny didn't suspect anything, just rolling their eyes, and saying in an exasperated voice, "Boys!"

With that, Harry and Ron sprinted to the Head Boy dorm, grabbed Harry's cloak, and slowly made their way to the witch's hump, where the passageway to Hogsmeade was.

An hour's time had passed when Harry and Ron had come out of Honeydukes and walked into the main street.

"Here Ron, take fifty Galleons... that should be enough to cover anything that you'll need."

"FIFTY GALLEONS?" said Ron, shocked at Harry's generosity. "But I couldn't, I..."

Harry didn't have time for Ron's customary Weasley trait of declining to accept money. "Fine, give it back then, all the better, I can spend more on Ginny."

Ron didn't accept that. "I didn't really..."

"Just joking Ron, take the money and go."

Harry and Ron split ways there, Harry going to the jewelry store, Ron headed into, surprisingly, a bookstore.

Harry laughed to himself. Ron was hopeless, what would he find in a bookstore for a present?

Harry was greeted by a short bored looking man, who drawled, "Sonny, you might want to go to the store next door... our stock is probably a bit beyond your price range..."

"I have one thousand Galleons at my disposal to purchase a special gift for a special girl, more if I need it. I suppose you take Gringotts' checks?"

The man snapped awake, and peered at Harry suspiciously, and said very quickly, "Bless my soul! HARRY POTTER! Harry Potter, visiting my store, oh I'm all of a dither... tell me which lucky girl is going to get a gift? Oh pardon me, I don't mean to intrude, I was just curious..."

Harry was reminded of Dobby the house elf and Hermione Granger.

"Well, I'm looking for something special... can I see your special necklaces?"

It was the day before the ball, just after dinner, and Harry still hadn't found out what Ron had bought for Hermione, only to find that he spent twenty-three Galleons on the present. Harry suddenly wondered if his own gift was too much.

"Honestly Ron, you went to a bookshop to buy a present?"

"Don't ask what it is, and I'll give your Galleons back."

"No, keep the Galleons and tell me what you got her. You owe me that," replied Harry.

"Fine... I went into the bookshop because I needed to read up some things about girl make up, things like that you know? I ended up getting her a book about make up and a box full of cosmetics..."

Harry groaned. "Oh, bad move Weasley... she's not going to like that. It's going to be suggesting that you don't like her the way she is - you want her to wear makeup."

"But, Bill and Charlie always said to get a girl something she can use for the date..."

Harry said, "Fine, give it to her then, maybe she'll find it thoughtful."

Ron smiled, and went to find Hermione. He did not return until an hour later.

"You were right... I had to explain everything... but everything turned out okay. Where's Gin?"

Harry pointed out the window, at a lone figure circling the Quidditch pitch.

"You know what? I'm going to go join her. Leave you and Hermione alone for a while..."

Without waiting for a response, Harry ran up the stairs, took out his Firebolt, opened the window, and sped out of it.

He sped towards Ginny, and scared her by suddenly popping up in front of her.

"Hey Gin, mind if I fly with you for a while?"

"Not at all..."

There wasn't anything special about the flight with Ginny, but Harry was perfectly content to just slowly circle the Quidditch field together, having a nice long conversation until it turned dark. When they couldn't see anything anymore, they flew down, and returned to the dorms, walking hand in hand.

The night of the Halloween Ball had come. Harry and Ron stood waiting in the small common room, waiting for their dates. Both stood calmly, showing no signs of the fretting that took place beforehand.

"Ron... Ginny's going to hate it, don't you think?"

"Come off it, you spent six hundred Galleons on that! There's no way she won't appreciate it."

"But..."

"Look Harry, my sister isn't one of those girls who chooses her men by how much they give her..."

"Don't even talk about it... never mind, I'm fine."

Harry and Ron had then walked down in their new dress robes; Harry in a dark green color, and Ron in royal blue. Harry had waged an hour long war against his hair, but eventually gave up. Even Sleekeazy's Hair Potion had no effect.

They stood there waiting for more than fifteen minutes, when the two girls came down the Head Girl's staircase.

Harry and Ron both let out a sigh of satisfaction.

Hermione was dressed up similarly to all the previous balls, in light blue dress robes, and her hair tied up in a knot at the top of her head.

Ginny, on the other hand, looked like an angel. Her flaming red hair, which was usually slightly longer than shoulder-length and pulled into a ponytail, was let free. Harry noticed how they looked perfect on her silver-white dress robes. Harry took out his gift.

"Here Ginny, I got this for you from Hogsmeade..."

Harry opened the box, revealing a white gold (Harry now tended to avoid silver in case he came in contact with Remus, who's reaction to silver as a werewolf was fatal) necklace, elegantly crafted, with a single jewel at the front. The necklace was just wide enough for comfort around the neck. However, Ginny could not see a way to put it on, as it was still small. She was about to ask about this, when Harry said, "It's magically put on, would you like me to put it on you?"

Ginny nodded.

With a wave of his wand, the necklace found itself around Ginny's neck.

Ginny looked at herself in the big mirror along the wall of their common room. For the first time in her own life, Ginny Weasley approved of the way she looked. Harry's necklace seemed to finish her attire.

"You look beautiful Ginny."

"Thank you, Harry. For the compliment and the necklace... it's beautiful... it must've cost you..."

"What it cost doesn't matter. All that matters is you look absolutely gorgeous tonight and I'm the luckiest bloke alive to be your date." Harry held out his hand, which Ginny took.

"To the ball then, ladies and gentlemen?" Harry asked in a false pompous tone.

"To the ball," they echoed, and made their way down to the Great Hall.

When Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione had reached the Great Hall, they found it already full of people, who were happily chatting at tables that seated about six people, and some had already started ordering their dinner.

"Over here!" they heard a voice call.

It was Neville, sitting with Luna. They joined them at the table.

The six of them talked for fifteen minutes until Dumbledore stood up, and announced the beginning of the Halloween feast.

Each individual table had their own buffet like selection of foods, which Ron, and Harry had liberal amounts of.

After some pumpkin pie, Dumbledore, with a wave of his hand, cleared all the tables, and called out for the dancing to begin.

The first song was played by the famous group The Weird Sisters, a fast-paced song which the girls had immediately pulled their dates to dance to.

Harry found that attending the ball with Ginny was somewhat different to attending with Parvati, or Lavender, as he had done in the previous two balls. Harry no longer felt an absolute need to impress his date, he felt comfortable enough twirling Ginny around.

When the first song was over, Harry and Ron made movements to go sit back down, but were held captive by Ginny and Hermione.

Ron had muttered under his breath, "Slave driver..." when Hermione had pulled him by the collar of his robes. Harry could tell he didn't mind.

Harry found that he certain did not mind either, as he revolved slowly with Ginny, looking into her eyes. He didn't even notice that the song was over until Ron tapped him and said, "Come on, let's go get drinks."

Harry and Ron pushed to the bar, which was already packed with students getting butterbeers and pumpkin juice.

Finally, Ron and Harry returned to the table with six butterbeers, passing them around.

"Cheers!" said Neville.

Five voices echoed him, and they drank to a night of fun.

Harry and Ginny had left the Great Hall after the twelfth song had been played, for a walk around the lake. They walked hand in hand, but in silence, as they observed the calm beauty of Hogwarts.

Ginny shivered.

"Do you want to go back up to the castle?"

Ginny nodded, and they returned to the castle, not to the Great Hall, but back to the dorms.

"So..." started Harry.

"Thank you for tonight... it was lovely," said Ginny.

"I... sure, I mean I was the lucky one..."

Ginny moved closer looking Harry in the eyes, and whispered teasingly, "I would've gone with you even if you didn't promise a date at Hogsmeade..."

Harry had absolutely no idea what to say to that, so he kept silent.

Ginny edged in even closer. Harry could see his own reflection in her brown eyes by now.

Harry bent forwards, and pulled Ginny into a long passionate kiss.

Sensations exploded inside Harry. It wasn't like kissing Cho, kissing Parvati, or Lavender. It wasn't tinged with melancholy like Cho's kisses were, it wasn't pure, undiluted passion like Parvati, and it wasn't awkward like Lavender's kisses were. There was no way to describe Ginny's kiss besides that they were exactly on the line between passion and love. Harry let himself go completely, lost in Ginny's embrace.

Ginny was the one who finally broke apart.

"Good night Harry, thank you for a wonderful evening," she whispered, and with a final hug, she went up the stairs to the Head Girl dorms.

Harry went up to bed in a daze, lying awake, replaying the memory of the kiss again and again and again, until he had fallen asleep late in the night. He never heard Ron come up

_Twilight_


	8. Chapter 8

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Eight - Down in the Marauder's Room

It was three weeks after the Halloween Ball, and the morning of the second Quidditch game of the season, Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff, after Slytherin had crushed Ravenclaw 250 to 10.

"I can't do it," said Neville at breakfast, his face white as a ghost. "You'll have to go without me... use Colin or someone..."

No one listened to him; they were all dealing with their own nerves, besides for Harry, Ron, and Ginny, who were perfectly nonchalant.

"Nev, come on, snap out of it... it's Hufflepuff, come on!" said Harry.

"Harry, take Hufflepuff seriously... Finch-Fletchley will keep you on your toes... and Abbot, Bones, and Macmillan are the best chasers Hufflepuff has seen for a long time..."

That comment made Neville even more nervous, and he flat out refused to eat anything.

When it was time to start, the Gryffindor team all felt at least a bit nervous. Grasping their new brooms, the Chasers mounted. Neville and Seamus had gotten a Nimbus 2001 each, but Ginny was still using Fred's Cleansweep, so Harry had ordered her a Nimbus X-Shock, the new broom that was especially designed for chasers.

Madame Hooch's whistle blew, and the teams flew out onto the pitch.

The crowd roared, as Dean Thomas began the commentary.

"AND HERE COMES THE RETURNING CHAMPIONS, THE GRYFFINDORS! HERE THEY COME! CAPTAIN POTTER, CO-CAPTAIN WEASLEY, CHASERS WEASLEY, FINNIGAN, LONGBOTTOM, AND BEATERS KIRKE, AND SLOPER!"

The Gryffindor crowd roared, whilst the Ravenclaw crowd applauded politely. The Hufflepuff and Slytherin crowds booed, and hissed.

"AND HERE COMES THE NEWLY ASSEMBLED HUFFLEPUFF TEAM, CAPTAIN FINCH-FLETCHLEY, KEEPER BLAKE, CHASERS ABBOT, BONES, MACMILLAN, BEATERS JOHNSON AND JOHNSON!"

Both teams circled around the field once, and then took their positions.

"CAPTAINS SHAKE HANDS!" yelled Madame Hooch.

Harry and Ron approached Justin, and shook his hand briefly, before returning to their positions.

Hooch let out the bludgers and the snitch, and picked up the Quaffle. As she threw the Bludger into the air, Ginny quickly grabbed the Quaffle, and zoomed off towards the Hufflepuff end of the field.

Harry quickly started to fly around the pitch, looking for the snitch, while listening to Dean's commentary.

"Weasley passes to Longbottom, who zooms along the side... OUCH THAT'S GOTTA HURT!"

Neville had been smashed in the shoulder with a bludger.

"Nev, are you okay?" hollered Harry, as he zoomed closer to Neville.

Neville nodded, and returned to the Gryffindor end to help with the defence.

Harry returned to his spot high above the game, looking for a sign of the snitch.

"EXCELLENT SAVE THERE BY WEASLEY... and he throws it to Ginny Weasley, who spikes it... and... SCORES!"

The Gryffindor crowd roared in delight.

After half an hour, when Gryffindor was leading 140 to 40, Harry decided it was time to give Justin a scare.

"There goes Potter! He's seen the snitch!" A collective gasp was heard around the stands.

Harry, with a small glance backwards saw that Justin was tailing him. He sped down towards the ground as fast as he could, until he was just a few meters away from being crushed, then pulled out of the dive with all of his strength and sped away. His Firebolt was the only reason that he managed to survive the dive. Harry heard a crunching sound, and two loud snaps that meant Justin was not as lucky. Justin screamed bloody murder. A roar of anger arose from the Hufflepuffs in the stand.

Harry sped away, looking for the snitch, whilst Hooch sped down to examine justin. It turned out that he had broken his neck.

"And captain Finch-Fletchley goes off the pitch with a neck injury... looks nasty. Good Wrongski Feint there by captain Potter, as the Hufflepuff team is now down a seeker."

Harry decided to call a time out.

"What's the matter?" asked Ron.

"Justin's out, so we have time to burn if we want to catch the snitch. What I'm suggesting is I act as a surrogate chaser... I break their formations and I break through their gaps in their defence so its like we get one more chaser. The rules say that neither the Seeker nor the Beaters are allowed to score, but that's the only limitation. I can pass to any of you, as long as the goal doesn't come directly from me. If we win by more than 240 points, we'll be in first place for the Quidditch Cup. We can afford to push our lead, Hufflepuff are out of the running unless they actually have more than 150 points advantage - which they definitely won't get, with our splendid keeper Ron, and our superb chasers. So, agreed?"

"Agreed," echoed all the members.

"Okay, let's show Hufflepuff why Gryffindor is the best!"

At Hooch's whistle, the Gryffindor team and the shorthanded Hufflepuff team rose to the air again. Harry flew side by side with Neville and Seamus, with Ginny behind them carrying the Quaffle. They flew forwards, breaking apart the defence formation with Kirke and Sloper protecting them from bludgers. Harry shot towards the keeper like a javelin, managing to intimidate him into moving out of the way, which left the goals open for Ginny to score in. On defence, Harry's Firebolt tore apart almost all the attempts that Hufflepuff had to score.

Half an hour later, Gryffindor was leading, 310 to 50.

"Never mind Harry, show them some mercy! Just catch the snitch!" hollered Ron.

Harry nodded and started zooming around the pitch looking for the snitch. Within ten minutes, he had caught the snitch, Seamus and Ginny had scored twice apiece, and Gryffindor had won, 500 to 50, in one of Hogwarts biggest blowouts ever. The crowd had exploded with roars of approval.

Ernie Macmillan was muttering about cheap seeker tactics, but Harry hadn't broken any rules, Gryffindor won fair and square.

The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws were still cheering loudly, but the Hufflepuffs and the Slytherins shot Harry looks that plainly said that they weren't happy with his tactics. Harry couldn't care less, as he celebrated with his teammates with a bunch of candy he and Ron had sneaked off to Hogsmeade and bought back to the Gryffindor common room.

Even Professor McGonagall joined in with the festivities, she was so glad that Gryffindor crushed Hufflepuff.

All in all, it felt like they had already won the Quidditch Cup. Arm in arm with Ginny, Harry was in bliss, unaware of a small, timid looking sixth year who had stood far away from the celebrations, with his nose buried in a book.

"Okay, today we split up into two different groups for the rest of the year. Some of you have been identified as stronger in magic than in body, some of you stronger in body than magic. You will be grouped accordingly, so six of you will be doing wand dueling for the rest of the year, six of you will do sword dueling," said Moody one class.

"Wand duelers are Granger, Lovegood, Potter, Weasley, Weasley, and Zabini. You'll stay with me for the rest of the year. Everyone else, please stand with Professor Hagrid."

Michael Corner, who had taken Colin's place let out a groan.

"If you don't want to take this opportunity, then by all means, get out of here!" growled Moody, who had overheard him.

Harry walked with Hermione, Luna, Ron, Ginny, and Blaise over to Moody.

"Now, you six will be dueling extra intensive curses, counter-curses, and shield charms. Potter, partner Weasley, no the other one, Granger go with the other Weasley, Lovegood go with Zabini."

"This is what I think is the best pairings. You will need to learn to fight as a team. Now, I want to see Granger and Weasley take on Lovegood and Zabini with what we've learnt so far now."

Hermione and Ron grimly stepped up onto the stage, followed by Blaise and Luna.

"Start in three seconds... one... two... THREE!"

"INTELTRANSVERTO!" yelled Hermione, quickest of all of them.

Blaise and Luna hurled two stunning spells, which were blocked by Ron yelling, "PROTEGO!" just in the nick of time.

"CONFUNDO!" roared Hermione and Ron.

Blaise and Luna ducked, rolled forwards, and shouted, "IMPEDIMENTA!" and "Torrentoria Arachnid!"

Luna's strange spell caused a big rain cloud to appear over Hermione and Ron, and start raining spiders.

Ron, with a deadly fear of spiders, jumped off the stage, yelling out in fright.

"Not smart, Weasley. Now your partner has to fight two of them..." growled Moody softly.

Hermione looked up to the challenge. "Vanquisho Arachnid Totalus," she said calmly.

All the spiders in the room disappeared at once.

"TORRENTORIA FLAMARE!" she yelled.

A big cloud formed above Blaise and Luna, hurling fireballs down at them. Within a few seconds, they lost.

Hermione stepped down off the stage calmly, gave Ron a look of disgust, and awaited Moody's comment.

"That was brilliant, Granger, Lovegood, very good modifications of the raining charm... Zabini, Weasley, you've pulled down your partners a bit... next time you two go together..." muttered Moody, unaware of Ron's very audible moan.

"Now Potter, Weasley, give Lovegood and Granger a challenge, won't you?"

Harry walked up to the stage with Ginny, as they faced Luna and Hermione. Everyone in the room, including Hagrid had turned to watch. Standing up on the stage were Hogwarts' best student duelers, facing off.

Harry flashed a grin at Hermione. Finally, they had a chance to determine who was Dumbledore's best student, as they never dueled against each other since Dumbledore's lessons.

"Start in three... ONE!"

The crowd bent closer to the stage.

"TWO!"

Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Luna moved into battle position.

"THREE!"

"INTELTRANSVERTO!" yelled four voices.

_Ginny, careful with Hermione, she's got a lot of tricks up her sleeve..._

_Yeah, I noticed, _was the sarcastic reply he received.

"Altare Incendio!" yelled Harry. The stage was now bordered in a ring of green fire, cutting off any escape.

"FLIPENDO!" yelled Luna.

Harry and Ginny easily sidestepped the curse.

_Cover me. _

"MULTIPLICUS SERPENSORTIA!" roared Harry, as seven massive cobras flew out of his wand and directly at Luna.

"Stupefy!" yelled Luna, stunning a snake.

"Transfiguro apple!" yelled Hermione.

Ginny disappeared, and turned into a red apple. People in the stands were laughing uproariously. Hermione had a satisfied expression on her face.

"ARGH!" yelled Harry. "FINITE INCANTATEM!"

The fire went out, but Ginny stayed the same. He held the apple in one hand, his wand in another. Hermione must've added a trick.

Harry quickly dived for the floor, as two stunning hexes thrown remarkably quickly had reached him.

"Expelliarmus!" yelled Harry.

No one had been expecting that, yet it worked, as Luna's wand flew out of her hand, and into Harry's.

"Serpensortia prisone!" yelled Harry; using the spell that Dumbledore had taught him just that morning. Luna shrieked, as five snakes bound around her tightly.

"I GIVE UP!" she yelled, and ran off the stage to get the spell removed. Apparently Luna was afraid of snakes, Harry thought with a smirk.

Harry and Hermione remained, each surveying the other, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"Stellartica Lumare!" roared Hermione, as a beam of silver stars flashed towards Harry, and blinded his vision for a few seconds.

"STUPEFY!"

"PROTEGO!"

Hermione's spell flew back at her, but she dodged it with ease.

"TELEPORTO HARRY!" she yelled, and Harry appeared suddenly right in front of her. Harry was mystified. He thought that apparition was impossible in Hogwarts... but apparently, teleportation put by someone else on him would work.

"Expelliarmus!" "STUPEFY!" yelled both of them at the same time.

Hermione slumped and fell over, but Harry was sent flying across the stage, and his wand landed next to Hermione.

"Sweet Merlin, a tie! Potter get your wand, take these curses off Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood please."

"Ennervate, Vanquisho Serpent," said Harry calmly, after grabbing his wand.

"Mione, take the thing off Gin."

Hermione muttered something, and Ginny reappeared in Harry's arms.

A loud 'ooooooooh' went through the class.

"Harry, what happened? Why are you carrying me? When did the duel end?"

Hermione giggled. "I turned you into an apple, and Harry held you around the whole time, he wouldn't even put you down when we sent stunners flying at him."

Ginny giggled too, "My hero..." she whispered softly, and pulled Harry into a kiss. Harry felt awkward as he still held her in his arms, his face turning red.

An even louder 'ooooooooh' went through the class.

Moody laughed a bark like laugh, "All right Potter, Weasley, Granger, Lovegood, you four are dismissed for tonight. Good show. Weasley and Zabini, stay here, you two need some more training..."

Harry, still carrying Ginny, walked up to the Head Boy common room with Hermione after saying goodbye to Luna.

"Hermione, what the hell was that? How come I couldn't transform Ginny back?"

"You're not the only one that learnt things from Dumbledore, Harry."

Harry raised his eyebrow. "I'm taking it you're not about to tell me how to do that?"

"Nope."

Harry had placed Ginny down on the sofa, and sat down by her with his arm around her. "Figures," he said.

"Gin, you feeling adventurous?"

Harry had opened the envelope from his parents a day before, finding a letter from both of them, a separate letter from James and Sirius, and a wizarding photo of him with his parents taken by Sirius during his one month visit.

_Dear Harry,_

_It has been a wonderful month with you, and I must say we are proud beyond proud to see what our son grows up to be. It really was a shock to one day come home, sit down for dinner, and find our future son, the greatest wizard of our time, and our son's best friend... We really near had a heart attack once it really sank in. _

_Remember what Albus Dumbledore had said. If you ever need to talk to us, we will remember you in this separate plane of existence. Should you need to talk to us, know that we will always be here for you, and in your own timeline we will always watch over you. _

_Love Mum and Dad_

_Dear Harry,_

_We found a secret room in Hogwarts back in our day. It was the school's best make-out place ever. Naturally, we claimed this room for ourselves. We used it for planning pranks and adventures, and of course for snog sessions. _

Harry had laughed at that point; he couldn't imagine Remus Lupin sneaking off to have a snog with some girl. His dad and Sirius, he'd rather not think about it.

_Anyway, it's a small hole with a MWPP scratched around it. It's just enough to fit a wand in. You can find it on the wall opposite to the staircase to the Divination tower. Stick your wand inside and say I solemnly swear I am up to no good. Make sure no one is around. The hole will open up, and you can walk into the room. Once you're in, make sure you close the hole, by saying any Marauder nickname. You reopen and close using the same words. Take only people you trust. Take the Marauder legacy to the next generation. _

_Padfoot and Prongs_

Harry had decided to take Ginny there first.

"What do you have in mind, Harry?" said Ginny with a giggle.

Hermione groaned. "Oh man, I don't want to see this, night Gin, night Harry."

Ginny had a twinkle in her eye, as she asked again, "What do you have in mind?"

"Something I want to share with you... the Marauder Room... Accio invisibility cloak!"

"Do we really need an invisibility cloak? I mean the Head Boy and a prefect walking around at night isn't that suspicious..."

"We might need it later, better safe than sorry. C'mon Gin."

They walked up to the floor where the staircase to the divination tower was.

"Look for a small hole which has MWPP engraved around it."

It took them fifteen minutes, but eventually Ginny found it.

"Over here..." she whispered.

Harry walked over, stuck his first and best holly and phoenix feather wand into the hole, and said softly, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good..."

The hole started to magically expand, until it was big enough to admit a relatively average sized person.

Harry took a deep breath and climbed in. As he crawled out, he gasped.

Ginny followed right after him.

Harry saw a sign on the wall, like a Hogwarts seal, only replacing the Lion, Snake, Eagle, and Badger with a Stag, a Rat, a Dog, and a Wolf. In the center was a golden M instead of the Hogwarts H.

There were magically lit candles burning dimly, a comfortable looking sofa, a table with four chairs, and a big drawer. As Ginny walked on in, Harry turned around, waved his wand, and said, "Prongs."

The hole shrunk again, and the drawer magically opened, and food popped out. Harry assumed that the house elves sent it up.

"Wow, this place is amazing," said Harry. He walked over to the seal and pressed the stag with his wand.

Music played softly. Harry knew that it was his dad's song. He almost laughed at the thought of his dad bringing his mother up here.

Ginny squealed with delight. "I love this song! Come on, let's dance!"

Before he knew it, he held her in his arms, revolving slowly with her, absorbed in the music. They shared a dance, and a long kiss, deep into the night, lost in each other's embrace. For the first time in his life, the Boy-who-Lived felt the true power of love.

In Dumbledore's office, the Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Moody were gathered with the Headmaster.

Dumbledore handed Snape a potion, and waved his wand, healing the minor bruises, and said "What have you to report, Severus?"

"Voldemort is plotting to take Potter or at least one of his friends to use as bait..."

"When, where, and how?"

"When the students go to Hogsmeade this weekend, he has a wizard strike force of one hundred. I heard from Avery and Nott that Voldemort was going to go himself."

"This isn't good. They have enough force to even strike here at Hogwarts... Call Fudge at the Ministry, Minerva; get him to send some Aurors for that day... I'll summon the Order of the Phoenix and alert them of the situation. Severus, alert the members of the staff, and the Head Boy and Head Girl. Alastor, I want you to check the defence wards of the school, and add any extra wards you can think of."

"But Headmaster, if the Hogsmeade weekend is cancelled, my cover will be blown..."

"It will be blown if we somehow stop the attack anyway. You have done a good job, Severus, but I cannot allow Voldemort to take Harry before he is ready to fight. This will be the first of many sacrifices we must take to buy him more time."

"But surely we could..."

"Severus, I cannot allow any of my students to be harmed by Voldemort. The Hogsmeade weekend shall be canceled, and you shall not return to Voldemort. That is final, Severus."

Snape sighed. "Yes headmaster."

"Now go, our time to prepare is short. Everyone meet back in my office in two hours."

The four teachers swept out of the Headmaster's office


	9. Chapter 9

_Twilight_

_evabandmamaber13_

Chapter Nine - Preparations

"Where on earth is Potter?" snapped Snape at a still sleepy Hermione. Ron had his arm around her in a protective fashion, but she shook it impatiently off.

"No idea, ask Ginny or something..."

"Miss Weasley is gone too. Where is Potter's map, we need to find him now!"

"No need, Professor, here I am. What do you need?" said Harry, who had just walked through the portrait hole with a sleeping Ginny in his arms.

"What I NEED, Potter is for you to stop being ridiculous and put Miss Weasley down, and for you and Granger get your inflated heads into the Headmaster's office now!" snarled Snape.

"Yes Professor," replied Harry. "Ron? Could you take Ginny up to her bed please?"

He handed the sleeping Ginny lightly into her brother's arms like a porcelain doll, and walked with Hermione and Snape out of the door.

Snape walked ahead of them choosing to act as if they weren't there.

Whilst Harry was wondering what on earth he had done to be summoned to the Headmaster's office, Hermione was twittering away.

"Where did you go, Harry, you smell like Ginny's perfume and you have her lip gloss shining on your cheeks..."

Harry shot Hermione a smirk that asked 'do you really want to know?'

Hermione groaned, and shook her head.

"I didn't think so."

"Potter, Granger, IN!" snapped Snape.

Harry and Hermione walked into Dumbledore's office, to find all the members of staff, Cornelius Fudge, and all the members of the Order of the Phoenix assembled there, waiting patiently for those two.

"My apologies, Headmaster, for the delay, but Potter found it necessary to go sneak off somewhere with Ms. Weasley..."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley shot Harry fervent looks at that, and gave Harry a small nod each.

"It isn't of any matter, Severus. Harry, Hermione, please take a seat," said Dumbledore, with a wave of his hand conjuring up three more chairs for Snape, Harry, and Hermione.

"Now, firstly, Cornelius, have you any information on Voldemort's recent moves?"

Cornelius Fudge swept off his lime bowler hat, and straightened himself up.

"I'm afraid to say that You-Know-Who is slowly gaining a strong grip hold on Britain as we speak. Death Eaters attack at random positions, and destroy entire villages... Obliviators working overtime every night... it's just like the first war all over again..."

"What of his follower strength and numbers?"

"We have seen and identified at least six hundred dark wizards in Great Britain alone."

Harry had expected a gasp or something from the people sitting in Dumbledore's office. _Six hundred dark wizards on Voldemort's side_? He thought to himself. _Ridiculous._

"However, the ministry has reason to believe that there are even more..."

"Thank you Cornelius, that will be all for now."

Dumbledore had then turned to each Order member in turn and asked them questions.

By half an hour, Harry and Hermione had found out that Voldemort had already taken the entire country of Iceland, and part of Ireland already, and was slowing closing a death grip on Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Harry was also shocked to find that Azkaban had been completely taken over by Dark Forces, and now Ministry members and Aurors were being held there if they were captured and withholding information.

The room had dissolved into quiet chatter as Dumbledore pulled Snape aside and had a few words with him. When Dumbledore had stood up, and the room fell silent.

"Severus here has returned with Voldemort's plans. As most of you know, he is a spy, and recently he has found out the most important plot yet. A kidnap attempt will be made on Mr. Potter or one of his friends, in an effort to lure him into a trap. The planned date was the Hogsmeade weekend in two days. The outing will be canceled of course, and the school defences set on high alert. However, the most disturbing fact is that Voldemort has a strike force of one hundred dark wizards to capture Mr. Potter. Everyone in this room will be defending the school, including Mr. Potter and his friends, and any aurors the ministry can spare. We must not allow his plot to succeed. I daresay everyone in this room knows how important Mr. Potter here is?"

Everyone in the room nodded, even Snape, although he did it grudgingly.

"Mr. Potter and his friends will be able to participate for three reasons. Firstly, two of his friends are prefects and standing in front of us are the Head Boy and Girl. Secondly, all of Mr. Potter's friends are remarkably well trained in dueling, especially these two here. Doubtless, all of you know that that Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter here were involved in the battle of Diagon Alley, and they showed that they can handle the situation. Finally, for the sake of the wizarding world's morale, Mr. Potter's presence is important."

Again, everyone in the room nodded.

"Cornelius, how many aurors can you spare?"

"Fifty to sixty, at most." Harry was amazed at how the Minister had changed now that the public knew that Voldemort had returned.

"That will do."

"Now, when Voldemort finds that there is no one at Hogsmeade, he will come to Hogwarts, as he has enough firepower at his disposal now. I need twenty aurors positioned in the forest. The other aurors should be positioned around the castle, and the members of the Order will guard the students at the front doors. Be here the on the night of Friday. You may leave unless you have any questions. Harry, Hermione, please find Ron and Ginny Weasley and inform them of our plans. Their attendance is optional."

Dumbledore sank back down into his chair, looking older than ever. Harry guessed that his old age must be getting to him at last.

People in Dumbledore's office started leaving, either through the fireplace or out the door.

"Harry, can I have a word?"

Harry turned and approached Remus Lupin. "Hello Remus, how have you been?"

"As well as I can be, given the circumstances... now the reason I wanted to talk to you is about Saturday... I know that nothing I say will change your mind about going, but I'm asking you now, please don't do anything rash..."

"It's okay Remus, I won't. Thank you for caring." Harry embraced the older man, and when he broke away he saw a faint trace of a smile.

"Just like James, Harry, just like James..." Remus flashed Harry a genuine smile, although it was a sad smile from a man who had suffered more than what should be allowed in a lifetime, losing all of his close friends.

With another hug and a pat on the back, Remus Lupin walked back into Dumbledore's office.

Harry and Hermione went back to the Head Boy and Girl dorms, finding Ron sleeping on the couch. Harry and Hermione decided to wait until the next morning to tell the two Weasleys, as they tiptoed to their own respective rooms and went to bed.

The next morning, Harry and Hermione broke the news to Ron and Ginny before they went to breakfast.

"You're joking... they wouldn't dream of attacking at HOGWARTS would they?"

"One hundred dark wizards... anyway, they want us to participate... Hermione and I because we're head boy and girl, you two because well... you're Weasleys, and you're our best friends," said Harry.

"But, You-know-who wouldn't dare attack Hogwarts with DUMBLEDORE here, would he?"

"Look, Ron. I don't know if its just me, but Dumbledore doesn't seem to be in that high a level of physical fitness anymore... Yesterday, when he was holding the meeting, after he dismissed everyone, he immediately slumped into his chair... and he looked really frail..." said Harry.

"Yeah I saw that too..." nodded Hermione. "Do you reckon we should go see him about it?"

"Are you crazy? Go to the Headmaster and say 'Oh, I noticed you weren't looking so well lately, are you getting too old to function properly?'" asked Ron.

"Not like that..." began Hermione, but turned quiet before she finished the sentence.

It was in a dark mood that the quartet walked down to breakfast. Harry caught Dumbledore's eye and nodded. Sitting down to a plate of scrambled eggs with ham, he heard Hermione shout, "HARRY!"

"What? What?"

"LOOK! YOUR EGG! IT'S HATCHING!"

"What? OH!"

Harry gently removed the egg from his open backpack, and placed it on the breakfast table, where he watched the pattern shake. He watched motionlessly, unsure of what to do.

By now, many Gryffindors had gathered around Harry's egg.

"Oh my god! I have to check on MY egg!" shrieked Parvati, and sprinted away, followed closely by Lavender.

"Oh look! A bit of the shell broke off!" yelled somebody.

Harry bent forwards to look into the egg. All he saw were a pair of green eyes staring back at him. He almost flinched.

Another piece of the shell broke off, as a small mewing sound came from the creature inside. Another shake, and the shell broke open.

It was a small black creature, looking exactly like a cat. Picking it up gingerly, Harry said, "Funny, cats aren't supposed to be born from eggs, are they?" The kitten had immediately shut its eyes, and had snuggled up against Harry's shoulder, letting out another long, "Meeeeow".

"Awwww, it's so cute!" squealed Ginny and Hermione at the same time.

"But why is a cat born in an egg?"

"That's no ordinary cat, Harry... I'm going to the library to check, come with me!"

And with that, Hermione dragged Harry off to the library.

Harry's stomach growled loudly, "But Hermione!"

The kitten had now opened its eyes. "Wow Harry, look! It's eyes are exactly the same color as yours! Come to think of it, it really resembles you... messy black hair, green eyes..."

"Yeah, I saw... But come on, if we're going to do some research before Dumbledore's class, we better hurry. We have fifteen minutes. Let's just get the books, and sign them out."

Harry and Hermione ran and pulled down _Magical Cats_, _Different Breeds of Cat_, and _Rare Species of Cat_ from the shelves, stuffed it under the vulture like librarian's nose, and signing them out, they ran to the gargoyles outside of Dumbledore's office and shouted, "Acid Pop", and quickly sprinted up the stairs.

"Ah, Harry, Hermione. I see your mysticat has hatched! Wonderfully loyal creatures, they are, once they bond with a wizard they stay with them until they die... they gain very unique magical powers as they grow with the wizard..."

Seeing Harry and Hermione's looks of disbelief, Dumbledore smiled tiredly, and said, "Did I just ruin hours of research? Or did you by any chance expect something else?"

"Neither, professor. I'm just shocked that I got such a good creature for my class... but could I ask a favor? Could you perhaps tell me what gender it is?" asked Harry.

"Oh, that's a male mysticat," replied Dumbledore. "Now, on with the lesson. Harry, Hermione, can you please call Ronald and Virginia up to my office please? Today will be a training session for what's to happen tomorrow. Here, take these notes with you to give to the lesson teachers... I daresay you know where the two are now?"

Harry and Hermione nodded, took the notes, and walked off.

"Gin's in Divination, I'll get her. You go get Ron, he should be in charms now..." said Harry, and the two ran off in separate directions.

Running up to the Divination Tower, he climbed up the staircase and smiled at the sixth year class, with his mysticat on his shoulder.

"Ooooh, such a cute kitty!" squealed a few of the sixth year girls in delight.

"Hello Professor Trelawney... may I snatch Ginny away from you for today? Important business with Professor Dumbledore, I have a note..." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dumbledore's head in the fire, and he gave it a wink.

"Business with Dumbledore, that's an excuse if I've ever heard one," whispered one of Ginny's friends, and they collapsed in giggles.

"Ah Mr. Potter, I have just seen something horrible in the crystal ball..."

"Let me guess, I get killed one way or another?"

"My, you do seem to have developed the Inner Eye over the two years we've been apart..."

"Professor? I'd love to stay and talk, but I really do need to collect Ginny, we have some urgent business with Dumbledore..."

"But Mr. Potter! You must know what I've Seen! You will be betrayed! OH it's HORRIBLE!"

"Yes, I'm afraid so, Professor, I just hope my death isn't long and drawn out... I'd rather just die quickly, wouldn't you?"

"Ever so a hero, Mr. Potter. If only you knew what awaits you..."

"Well, I'll be going with my damsel in distress now, if you don't mind? Battle awaits, and the hero must sharpen his sword..." said Harry in a sarcastic way, but Trelawney didn't notice.

Wiping a tear away from her eye, she said, "Go on, go on."

The whole class was already filled with giggles and laughter, as Harry led Ginny towards the staircase, climbed down, and yelled loudly, "Jump, fair maiden in distress, for I will catch you in your moment of need!"

The sixth year class had erupted with roars of laughter at that, and Trelawney said, "Now really!"

Harry was grinning like a Cheshire cat when he and Ginny had walked down the stairs going to Dumbledore's office, Ginny still caught in her fit of giggles.

"Acid pop," said Harry as they reached the gargoyles.

"A nice show you put on there Harry," smiled Dumbledore as he and Ginny sat down. Hermione and Ron were already sitting.

Harry grinned back at Dumbledore saying, "Thanks, Professor."

"Okay, I'll be straight with you four. You are the four are amongst the most brilliant of students to come to Hogwarts as of late. Hermione in particular, has achieved the highest grades Hogwarts has seen since Tom Riddle... Anyway, tomorrow Voldemort is supposedly going to attack the school. It is my responsibility to make sure that you are well protected tomorrow, you could imagine the consequences if one of you were to get seriously injured..."

Dumbledore had probably expected one of them to wince, or look around nervously, but the four teens sat there stonily, looking the Headmaster in the eye. He afforded himself a little smile.

"Today, I will teach you the immensely powerful absorption charm, it works by sapping the target's magical power into you for a period of five minutes, none more. This will, in effect, almost double your magical power, allow you to do various things you usually would not be able to do, such as unforgivable curses - but you won't be doing that. The key point is that for five minutes, your opponent is left a muggle, in which you can disarm or stun them. The incantation is parasitran magica. You may practice on these." With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore summoned four dummies.

It was a long and terribly hard process to practice, as the beam of light moved a lot slower than a normal spell, and Dumbledore enchanted the dummies to dodge the hexes thrown by the four students.

After an hour of throwing the same hex, Dumbledore held up his hand and asked them to stop.

"Professor? Why is it that this spell moves so much slower than the other hexes?" asked Hermione before Harry had a chance.

"A good question, Hermione. It is because you have not practiced enough. All of your hexes are very weak and slow right now because it hasn't been used enough yet."

"ENOUGH? We've been using the same spell for an HOUR, professor!" cried Ron.

"Yes, well let me show you what it should look like at nearly full power... my magic isn't what it used to be..."

With that, Dumbledore hurled four of the absorption charms into the dummies, and Harry saw that the charm flew even faster than the average stunning charm. The dummies flew and hit the wall, collapsing into four heaps. With a wave of his wand, the dummies disappeared.

"By the end of today, I expect all four of you to at least equal that effect. Would you four like some refreshment before we try again?"

The four famished teens nodded, and before them platefuls of pasta appeared in front of them on the table, with a goblet of butterbeer at the side. A bowl of fish and a bowl of milk appeared on the ground for Harry's mysticat.

Ron sighed contently as he helped himself to the delicious food. The mysticat purred as it lapped up the milk and ate the fish contently.

Harry smiled inwardly at the similarity between the baby kitten and his seventeen-year-old friend.

Soon, the food and drink was finished. "Shall we return to our exercises?" asked Dumbledore, summoning up the four dummies again.

Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron had now managed to hit a dummy every once in a while, and the speed of the hexes were now just a bit slower than the stunning curses.

When it was five o'clock in the afternoon, Harry managed to throw the absorption charm so quickly that he hadn't missed a single dummy in his last seven shots. Hermione was around his level, although Ginny and Ron were still casting the charm as fast as they would a stunning spell.

Dumbledore smiled down at them. "Now, Harry, Hermione, try to stun all of the dummies before they reach you." With another wave of his wand, there were twelve dummies standing motionlessly at the other end of Dumbledore's office.

"Go."

The dummies ran towards Harry and Hermione at a disturbingly fast speed.

"STUPEFY, STUPEFY, STUPEFY!" cried Harry and Hermione many times in succession.

Surprisingly, they found that the spells flew much faster than they used to. Only one dummy had reached them.

"Very good, very good... you see, as you become more fluent in casting curses and hexes, almost all of the spells you learn can be improved in speed and power. The absorption spell is one of the slowest spells that can be cast. Since you now can cast it with reasonable speed, I daresay that you won't find the Death Eaters too much a challenge. Now, why don't you four run off and enjoy yourselves for a while before dinner. I suggest you get an early sleep for tonight. We will need to be prepared for tomorrow. I must go set up the defences, good afternoon," said Dumbledore, dismissing them.

As soon as Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny walked out of the office, Albus Dumbledore collapsed in his chair, moaning softly, clutching at his heart in pain. Minerva McGonagall had walked out of the fireplace and said softly, "Albus, Albus, Albus... you actually did it didn't you... oh Merlin's beard... wait here, I'll fetch a potion from Severus..."

The teenagers were oblivious to the fact as they walked down to visit Hagrid that they had sapped some of their own Headmaster's power, to permanently keep for their own in the war that


	10. Chapter 10

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Ten - The Battle

On the day when Voldemort was due to attack, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had practiced and reviewed all of the charms that could be used for dueling, from Wingardium Leviosa to Skeledestructo Totalus.

"Potter, Granger, Weasley, Weasley, come down to the Great Hall now. You will find the corridors absolutely empty of students. The attack should come soon, bring anything you find necessary for the battle," said a crisp sounding Professor McGonagall from the fire.

The four friends stopped, and swept out of the room, Harry in the lead, followed by Ginny and Ron, Hermione bringing up the rear.

"Ah, there they come now," said Dumbledore as they walked into the Great Hall. "Now, I trust everyone knows where they are going?"

Everyone in the Hall nodded. Harry noticed that there were at least ninety wizards and witches there, already brandishing their wands. After the Aurors had left, Dumbledore had stood up, and addressed the Order.

"Now, Order members come here. As you know, our job is the most important. We are guarding the front doors. Now, we will need to..."

A loud explosion could be heard, followed by many loud cries of pain.

"Merlin's beard! They're here already? Severus, I thought you said... No never mind, come on, we must get to our position!" Dumbledore sprinted out of the Great Hall, with all the members of the Order and the staff in his wake.

"Oh sweet mother of God..." whispered Hermione.

The scene was horrible. The Aurors that had been guarding the forest were chased out, or overwhelmed and killed. The ones left alive joined the others surrounding the castle. It was not, as Snape had said, a hundred strong force. There were at least six hundred of them, and twenty something giants. It looked as if Voldemort had emptied out all of his forces in Britain. Harry turned left, and saw a skeletal figure stride up at the head of the approaching army. Voldemort, his face horribly pale, and his eyes narrow red slits, led the wizards and the giants on, hurling killing curses all over the place. Harry shuddered. In an effort to look away from Voldemort, Harry saw that there were no dementors, but still he saw that they were hopelessly outnumbered.

When the Order stepped out, Harry felt through the slight link between the auras of the member the pure power of these wizards. Harry knew that the Order of the Phoenix was full of wizards from the cream of the crop.

Voldemort paused, and looked up at the Order. "SO! THE OLD FOOL SHOWS HIS FACE AGAIN!" he bellowed. "AND YOU, SNAPE! YOU DARE BETRAY YOUR LORD? FEEDING MY FALSE INFORMATION... FILTH! YOU SHALL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES! CRUCIO!"

Before anyone could react, Snape had doubled over in agony, shrieking until Voldemort finally lifted the curse.

"Just a taster my dear Professor. When Hogwarts is ours you will see what it means to betray Lord Voldemort!"

Aurors around had shuddered in fear.

Snape stood up, grim faced, still as a statue. For once, Harry appreciated Snape. He stood there eyeing the most evil wizard ever, without any fear at all - or at least none was showing. Harry felt nothing through the Order's aura.

"You were right about one thing during your first attempt to take power... not to attack Hogwarts. This will be your undoing..." said Dumbledore wisely.

"EMPTY WORDS, MUGGLE LOVER! AVADA KEDAVRA!" yelled Voldemort.

Dumbledore and members of the Order had barely dodged the fatal beam of green light. With a roar, and a symbolic firework of sparks from both sides, the battle erupted. The sight of it was truly horrible, giants yelling and stampeding over wizards, all sorts of hexes being thrown, and above it all was Voldemort and Dumbledore furiously dueling, a whole area surrounding them was empty, for no one wanted to get too close.

Hermione was dueling the Death Eater Dolohov, who had knocked her into the hospital wing at the end of the fifth year during that fateful night at the Department of Mysteries. She fought with a passion that could only be sparked by a person wanting to get revenge.

Ron and Ginny were amongst members of the Order, such as Remus, Tonks, and Kingsley Shacklebolt, firing volleys of curses into the ranks of the giants.

Harry found himself battling Draco and Lucius Malfoy already away from the main battle, near the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, barely managing to stay away from all of their hexes, until Bellatrix Lestrange showed her face again, and challenged him.

Harry's old rage reignited. This was the woman that had killed his godfather. This was the woman that turned Neville's parents insane. Harry bared his teeth, and brandishing his wand turned to fight all three of them at once.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" roared three voices.

Harry rolled aside, and roared, "SKELEDESTRUCTO TOTALUS!" The curse flew by the three Death Eaters, but struck a giant right in the arse. With a loud holler, the giant was reduced to a blob.

"Getting nasty are we, itty bitty baby Potter? Growing up are you?" taunted Bellatrix.

Lucius and Draco laughed appreciatively. Harry observed with a sick sensation of pleasure in his stomach that Draco now had two magical eyes, rolling around in their sockets. That conjunctivitis curse must've worked pretty well.

"PARASITRAN MAGICA! STUPEFY! TORRENTORIA SERPENSORTIA!" yelled Harry in response.

All of a sudden he felt a strong surge of power flow through his veins, and he knew that his absorption charm had hit its target. He was also pleased to see that all three Death Eaters were shrieking at the rainstorm of snakes.

_"ATTACK THE DEATH EATERS, DEFEAT THEM AT ANY COSTS!" _Harry hissed. The snakes had slithered off, trying to bite at the Death Eaters.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" roared three voices, but only two beams of light had come out. Harry noticed that nothing came out of Lucius Malfoy's wand.

Harry dived out of the way, and yelled, "OBLIVIATE TOTALUS!"

No normal wizard should have been able to do that spell. However, Harry was far from normal. He watched as the beam of silver light hit Lucius Malfoy straight in the stomach, and watched as Malfoy crumpled into a heap.

"NO!" yelled Bellatrix and Draco.

"NOW YOU KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE GO THROUGH WHEN YOU DO THINGS LIKE THAT YOU WORTHLESS DEATH EATERS!" shouted Harry. "YOUR FATHER DESERVED..."

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT POTTER! CRUCIO!" bellowed Draco.

Harry in turn crumpled, and screamed. It was about fifteen minutes later did Draco raise the curse.

"Not so proud and strong now, are we Potter?" smirked Draco, with an evil grin on his disgusting little face, his magical eyes going haywire. "MAN that felt good."

"No, the little baby misses his mudblood mother... what do you think Draco, should we let him go _visit _her?" added Bellatrix, who was also nearly bouncing in delight. "Shall you do the honors?"

"Why I'd be glad to, but not before another round of pain, don't you think?"

"I most definitely do," sneered a new voice. Harry saw the hated face of Peter Pettigrew. He had not changed one bit. Still a disgusting little rat, Harry thought to himself.

Well now they're all here, thought Harry to himself grimly. The man who killed my parents, the woman who killed my godfather, and the ugly git that's going to kill me...

"CRUCIO!" bellowed Bellatrix this time, filling Harry with another round of pain.

Harry yelled out, and when the curse was released, he had to bite his tongue to keep from uttering a piteous moan. He would let his enemies have no such pleasure.

"Wormtail, would you like to join in the festivities?" asked Bellatrix in a pleasant sounding tone, as if she was asking him if he wanted the last cookie on a plate.

"My pleasure," smiled Wormtail. "CRUCIO!"

Harry shook violently with pain, his throat burning, no longer letting any screams escape.

"I think our little baby is all tired out... let him go take a nice long nap..." said Bellatrix in her annoying baby voice.

Draco smirked, and brandished his wand. "May I?" he asked with a horrible smile.

"Yes, yes..." said Bellatrix.

"Let me have one more word with Potter before he dies."

Wormtail walked over to Harry's wretched form, and said wickedly, "When you see your mudblood mother and your father again, tell them Peter sends his greetings, and tell them that I made the right choice... as you can plainly see now."

"You may proceed, Draco, let's end this now."

Harry knew what was coming, but he could not raise himself to defend himself; the long series of Cruciatus curses had taken away almost all his strength.

Draco took his wand, and aimed it right for Harry's heart. It took an eternity for him to utter the words.

"Ava..."

"NO!" yelled a voice.

"...da..."

Harry heard the sound of someone running. He could feel a strong aura around the person.

"Ke..."

Harry saw Wormtail and Bellatrix move sideways in slow motion.

"...da..."

Harry could see the figure's shadow in the noon sun now.

"...vra!"

The figure dived straight into the beam of green light a split second before it hit Harry, and fell over, dead. Wormtail walked over, and kicked the body over.

It was Remus Lupin.

"NO! YOU #$ING MURDERING LITTLE WORTHLESS PIECE OF GARBAGE!" Harry bellowed like a wounded elephant.

The sight of his father's last friend's corpse with silver eyes looking lifelessly up at him made Harry tap into an energy source he had never known existed. Rage burned through every little part of him.

Harry jumped up, aimed his wand at the three Death Eaters standing in a tight group, and bellowed at the top of his voice, "SKELEINCENDIO!"

Bellatrix Lestrange shrieked. Whilst no one could see what was happening to her, Harry knew. Her very bones were on fire, burning her up from the inside. She continued to shriek in agony, as she slowly burnt away.

Malfoy and Wormtail turned to face Harry.

"Leave now you two worthless pieces of scum, unless you want to die right here, right now. Leave now or I swear you won't live to see the sunset, and when I say leave now, I mean leave your precious little Lord behind, tuck your tails between your legs, and run away. Don't ever show your faces again," whispered Harry in a deadly fury.

Draco and Peter, with a look into the burning green fire in their enemy's eyes, quickly ran as fast as their legs would take them into the Forest. The two Death Eaters were never very brave people.

Harry surveyed Lucius Malfoy who was still lying there, out cold, and Bellatrix Lestrange who had now fallen to the floor, engulfed in flames.

"Help..." she gasped pitifully, as the fire roared through her. Harry knew she had about one more minute to live. Serves her right, he thought, with no squeamish feeling that he had always thought he'd get after killing his first person.

It was war, and in war, only the strongest survive. There was no room for being squeamish, no room at all.

Harry turned around and ignored her cries, turning to Remus Lupin's lying corpse, walked over and closed his eyes. Picking the body up, Harry walked up slowly to the castle.

It was a nasty scene. Apparently the Order and the Aurors had been outnumbered to such an extent, they had been so desperate, they called down all the students from third year and above, and many a dark wizard found themselves with boils over their faces, their legs dancing uncontrollably, and their teeth grown to such an extent that they reached their boots. As Death Eaters clutched at the minor problems the schoolyard curses the third, fourth, and some fifth years caused, the sixth and seventh years ran along and stunned them. Harry thought it wasn't a bad strategy at all. However, he then saw many Aurors were lying on the floor, dead. Harry sprinted up to the front doors, unnoticed, and gently raid down Remus Lupin's body in the safety of the halls of Hogwarts. Grabbing his wand out, Harry ran back into the fray.

Harry saw with a growing feeling of dread that Dumbledore was slowly, but surely losing against Voldemort. He now had a big gash across his forehead, the blood flowing out darkening his brilliant red robes. Dumbledore stumbled. Voldemort laughed, and hurled a killing curse at him. Dumbledore barely managed to roll out of the way, clutching at the gash on his forehead.

Harry knew that he needed to help Dumbledore, or else it would be the last of the old wizard.

"MAXIMUS REDUCTO!" he yelled, flinging a hex at Voldemort. The curse caught him straight in the back, causing him to stumble for a second. Harry gasped. He had expected a lot more, well, _effect_ to his spell. Harry had used it once in Dumbledore's office, shattering a stone statue to pieces. Voldemort had turned around, and acted as if it was just a little kid pushing him in the back.

"Ahh... Potter... decide to join us at last? I'm afraid I don't have much time for you today, so I'll make it short..." said Voldemort with a horrible smile, turning to Harry.

Without warning, Voldemort shrieked, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"Stellartica Lumare!"

Once again, the two wands linked, but this time, both wands regurgitated the last spells cast. Harry saw that Voldemort had indeed been dueling Dumbledore a long time. At least twenty hexes had all ready come out of Voldemort's wand, all being dark magic, and one sent a flying knife which must've caused the gash on Dumbledore's face.

Harry's wand regurgitated his entire duel with Malfoy, Malfoy, Lestrange, and Wormtail.

Harry held the connection the best he could, but he saw out of the corner of his eye Dumbledore shaking his head furiously.

Harry severed the connection, and the two fell.

"Harry, you are not ready yet! Don't---"

Voldemort threw yet another killing curse at Harry, which was only missed because Dumbledore had teleported Harry to his side.

"GO! LEAVE RIDDLE TO ME!"

Harry had no choice, he ran to join Ron, Ginny, and Hermione, who were now teaming up against a pair of Death Eaters. With one last look at the battling pair of wizards, Dumbledore having healed himself in the time Harry had bought for him, Harry only hoped that his distraction gave Dumbledore enough time to recover.

The massive war had finally seemed to die down after an hour. All the giants had run away, probably never to return to Voldemort again, and most of the dark wizards lay incapacitated.

Voldemort's battle with Dumbledore had finally reached such a point in which Dumbledore had collapsed, fainting on the spot.

Harry ran to take Dumbledore's place, but instead he found twelve Aurors already standing face to face with the Dark Lord. They looked scared, grim, and were trembling slightly, but they still stood there all the same.

Voldemort snarled, but he knew that there was no way out. Shouting out some spell, there was a violent flash of light, and everyone was blinded for a few minutes. The next thing Harry saw when he opened his eyes was that all the Death Eaters left standing and Voldemort had disappeared.

The incapacitated wizards were left untouched.

Murmurs went around the crowd, and eventually cheers started, for they had won the battle.

"Oh my... someone get the Headmaster to the hospital wing... HURRY!" shouted McGonagall, who had taken charge now that Dumbledore lay in a heap at the floor.

The next few hours went past like a blur. Harry and Hermione had walked around looking for any injured Aurors or Order members, finding about seven stunned, which they revived. All the other collapsed ones were dead. Ron and Ginny had joined the Order members and what was left of the Aurors in securing the prisoners in the dungeons.

Finally, late at night, the quartet was dismissed, and they returned to the Head student common room. After taking their well-earned showers, they had exchanged their separate stories.

"...and there I was, with THREE Death Eaters around me, outnumbered, when Mione came in and blew them away!" exclaimed Ron after a lengthy tale of how he had gotten separated from the Order with a powerful Flipendo curse.

Hermione beamed, "But really, Ron was handling the situation wonderfully, keeping his cool and all... well after that we just followed the Order around and helped where we could... What happened to you Ginny? Where did you disappear off to?"

Ginny sighed. "Nothing interesting like yours... I just got separated because I tripped over a death eater who was stunned on the floor... all I did was beat a giant and two Death Eaters, then I rejoined you guys."

Harry felt a surge of guilt come up, realizing that he hadn't been there to protect his friends, but he also had a glowing sense of happiness that none of them had gotten hurt.

"It was strange though... it was like each of my curses went twice as fast as usual, and when I hit a giant with a flipendo curse, it actually flew backwards... a lot of AURORS didn't even manage to make a giant budge, from stunning curses or anything... in fact, the only person I saw that was also able to stun a giant was Ginny... it was like something pumped a whole lot of magical energy into me..." pondered Ron.

"Funny, that happened to me too..." said Hermione and Ginny at the same time.

"What about you, Harry?"

"I don't think so... I didn't really need any extra power... unless... I remember after I... no never mind," he finished. He didn't want to talk about Remus right now.

"Hmm... hey Harry, you weren't with us the whole time, where did you get off to?"

Harry froze. He knew that they would eventually get to him. He sighed.

"Well I didn't even get in formation with the Order... I saw Malfoy, and chased him to the edge of the Dark Forest..."

Half an hour later, there were unshed tears in Harry's bright green eyes.

"And he jumped, right into the Killing Curse. To save me..."

Hermione and Ginny were now watching Harry silently, tears pouring down their cheeks.

Ron sat with a look that held respect, sorrow, and anger. "Damn Malfoy," he said. "I'm going to be the one that's going to bring him down one day... I swear..."

"What's worse is its all my fault... if only I hadn't stopped to yell at Malfoy and Lestrange... I wouldn't have been hit with the Cruciatus curse the first time, which wouldn't have led to more, then I wouldn't need to have been saved... I'M SO STUPID! ARGH I don't deserve to sit here talking to three of the greatest friends a guy could ask for... I should be the one being placed into a coffin... I shouldn't be here... It's all my fault..." Harry had stopped, and buried his head between his arms.

Hermione and Ron started to say something along the lines of "Don't worry, Harry, it isn't your fault... it's Voldemort's fault..." but Ginny abruptly stood, knocking over two cushions on the sofa to the floor.

"Harry, listen to me. Remus died for you. Don't sit here and waste minutes of your life doing this. There was a reason he did what he did, and that is to give you more time. You should mourn Remus and move on like he would want you to. In case you haven't noticed today, the war has now formally broken out. Voldemort's supporters have already taken much of Europe. Remember Remus, but do not blame yourself for him. You said that you needed time to get over things and see that it wasn't your fault before, concerning Sirius, but now, time is a luxury you can't afford..."

"WHY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT IT AS IF SOMEONE WE DON'T KNOW OFF IN MADAGASCAR OR SOMETHING DIED? THIS IS REMUS!" yelled Harry, who stood up to match Ginny's move. This naturally wouldn't a good move by Harry, as Ginny's temper was known as the worst of all of the Weasleys' but he had never experienced it firsthand.

Ginny faltered for a second, but then gathered her wits. "Harry, if you don't understand why he died, I guess I can't help you. Have you realized that he might've done it for the sake of mankind, and not just for you? Even if it was just for you, you should revel in the fruits of his labor, or else his death means nothing. We would die for you any day Harry. Me, Ron, Hermione, because you know what? We're family. And family sticks together always, no matter what happens. Understand Remus' choice, he did it because you were his family; you were all that he had left. At least now he is with his friends and family again. For the last time, Harry, none of this is your fault, and this is absolutely the last time I tell you it. Come talk to me again when you pull your head out of your arse and realize that you aren't the only person the world is fighting the war for, and that Remus Lupin was a good man, and he would've done it for anybody."

Ginny walked right out of the room and up the staircase.

Harry stood, dumbstruck. Apparently it was Ginny that always jerked him out of moods like this. In fact, her comments on family had really moved him. Harry looked to Ron and Hermione, who nodded gently, and he ran up to the Head Girl dorms. Before he entered, he heard Ginny crying softly. He knocked twice. Ginny, who was sitting on her bed, hugging her knees and burying her head in her hands, said without lifting her head, "Come in Hermione... oh you don't know how bad that made me feel... I can't believe I said that to poor Harry...it's just that he needed to know... I just hope he doesn't overreact or anything, you _know _how much I love him since I gotten to know him properly... oh god, Hermione, what if he doesn't want to speak to me anymore?" Ginny sniffed, and looked up at last. She gasped when she saw who it was.

"I would never not want to speak to you, Ginny. I just came up here to thank you for telling me what I needed to know, and for snapping me out of it. Now, I also want to thank you for caring, you don't know what it means to me..."

Ginny was torn between anger at Harry for listening to her talk about him silently, and wanting to embrace him. She chose the latter. They held each other close.

One hour later, when they had walked down to the common room again. Harry found Ron holding a crying Hermione in his arms. Harry had just then remembered how Remus Lupin was also a good friend and teacher to Ron and Hermione.

Harry and Ginny walked over to them, and sat down in the sofa.

"Accio butterbeers," muttered Harry, and four bottles of butterbeer flew from his trunk into his hands, and he handed them out to each of his friends.

"Tonight, we drink to Remus Lupin," said Harry.

"Tonight, we drink to life," said Hermione.

"Tonight, we drink to hope," said Ron.

"Forever, we drink to family," ended Ginny.

The four friends clinked their bottles, and chugged down the bottles of butterbeer.

Later that night, Harry snuck out to the Marauder's room once more.

When he had approached to the Marauder's shield, he bent down in front of it and broke down. "I'm sorry Remus, I'm sorry Sirius, and I'm sorry Dad... I ended up costing all of your lives... I promise you, that a day of reckoning will come... I promise I will honor and I will not make your sacrifices be in vain and the time you've bought for me will be well spent... I promise I will make you all proud..."

Harry wiped a tear from his eyes, which immediately turned hard and emotionless, as he surveyed the segment of the shield where the rat was.

"Wormtail. I let you live again today, as your final chance. It probably wasn't wise, but should you not use your final chance well, the next time we meet will be the last. I swear upon my father's grave that it will be so," said Harry passionately.

Harry waved his wand over the rat of the shield, and left the Marauder's room.

Six hundred miles away, in a small flat in Paris, a short man with a large bald patch on his head, small watery eyes, and a pointed nose shook violently in his sleep.

t would soon escalate to frightening scales.


	11. Chapter 11

_Twilight_

_evabanmamaber13_

Chapter Eleven - One Amongst Us

It was mid-December, and Christmas shopping was proving to be a problem for the student population of Hogwarts. Since the Battle of Hogwarts, as the students called it, the teachers had imposed very strict rules; absolutely NO roving around was to be accepted after curfew. Any student caught would first be given a week of detention as a punishment, and if they were caught again they were suspended for a week, and if (although no students had been foolish enough to sneak out three times), they were caught again, they would be expelled from Hogwarts. The only students allowed out at night were Harry and Hermione, and the seventh year prefects, who monitored the halls.

Harry and Hermione's job was a little more complex. Hermione was supposed to monitor the Marauder's map for any strange happenings around the schools from eleven o'clock to one, and report to Harry if she saw something out of place, from couples snogging in the Astronomy Tower to Death Eaters coming out of secret passages.

It was Harry's job to catch these students, and report any possibly dangerous scenarios to Dumbledore in person. Portkeys to Dumbledore's office had been made for each seventh year prefect, Harry and Hermione, activated with a tap of the wand for emergencies.

So far, however, nothing very interesting had happened, although Harry had caught Dennis Creevey getting a little too friendly with a Hufflepuff third year. He had reported them, and Dennis had turned a strange shade of green as he apologized profusely to the Headmaster.

Remus Lupin's funeral had come and gone, a few days after the battle of Hogwarts. It was simple, and not many people had attended. A few ministry workers who knew him at school, aurors and Order members, Hogwarts teachers, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had attended his small funeral, which was held in the graveyard that held Harry's parents' graves. It had been a hard day to endure, and Harry had shut himself away for a week afterwards, wallowing in misery. It had been Ginny, yet again, that had snapped him out of his reverie with a few well-chosen words.

Dumbledore had returned to normal after a few weeks, although he had been in critical condition after his duel with Voldemort. There were articles in the Daily Prophet heralding his valor in his duel against Voldemort, and Harry had found himself in the front page also, with stories from aurors about how Harry had distracted Voldemort just long enough for Dumbledore to heal himself and resume the fight. Dumbledore had received praise in almost all of the newspapers, but a few hinted that perhaps he was getting a bit too old for the fight. Harry had noticed that he did indeed seem very weary nowadays, conjuring up a walking stick that he hobbled around on, and during lessons he had always just given them instructions for dueling - Harry dueled against Hermione now, with Dumbledore performing any necessary counter-charms if a curse hit its target, but all the same never leaving his chair. It was depressing to see the old wizard so tired.

Thankfully, Voldemort's forces had died down after the attack - after the loss, Voldemort's forces must've had extremely low morale, and they had ceased any major attacks. Captured dark wizards were shipped off to a new wizard prison set up within the Ministry of Magic, with their memories wiped, their wands snapped.

Harry had been to see Dumbledore once, and found that the Order was doing as much as it could to keep Voldemort's forces at a low, and he should go about enjoying himself for the holidays that were soon to come. In fact, he had received permission to go to the Burrow with Ron and Ginny over the holidays.

However, Harry wasn't in a position to think about that just now. It was one week to Christmas, and the second Quidditch game for Gryffindor had begun. He was speeding around the field, dodging bludgers, and watching Blaise Zabini, the new Slytherin seeker, in case she went into a dive and saw the snitch.

He sped across the field, having pleasure in making Zabini jump up in fright and streak after him, until he returned to his position above the play, looking for a glint of gold that was the snitch.

Down below, he saw three scarlet blurs streak across the field, tossing the Quaffle to each other. Neville and Seamus flanked Ginny, and as they approached the goalposts they flew in front of her, with Andrew and Jack keeping the bludger away. During practices, it had been determined that Ginny had the best arm for scoring out of all of the chasers, and they had developed a new strategy to test on Slytherin - the frog hop. Sure enough, it came. Ginny, on her Nimbus X-Shock, all of a sudden tossed the ball to Neville and Seamus, roared upwards, and took the Quaffle back from Neville as he tossed it high up into the air. The keeper, who was sure that Neville was going to shoot, did not react in time when Ginny sizzled a shot pass her into the center hoop.

"Lovely goal there by Weasley... Gryffindor catching up! 60-40!" cried Dean.

Harry did a fancy twirl in delight, and swooped past Ginny and yelled, "THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE GIN!" and gave her a wink.

Slytherin had started streaking down the field, and Crabbe and Goyle whacked bludgers at Ron. Ron had twisted in a complicated zigzag, and dodged the bludgers, but he couldn't pull off the save. The Slytherin crowd roared in delight, whilst the Gryffindors moaned. The Hufflepuffs clapped, apparently they were still upset with Gryffindor for putting their captain in the hospital wing for two weeks and put him off the Quidditch team for the rest of the year - Madam Pomfrey had said that it was too dangerous for him to play anymore.

"OH BREAKAWAY BY GINNY WEASLEY! SHE STREAKS UP THE PITCH, OH... THIS COULD TURN NASTY! TWO BLUDGERS, TWO BEATERS, AND SLYTHERIN KEEPER BULSTRODE STREAKS DOWN TO BLOCK HER! OH THAT'S GOT TO HURT... but wait! GINNY WEASLEY SCORES!"

The Gryffindors were torn between yelling out in delight or moaning in sympathy. Ginny held her arms in the air, signaling his need for a time out. Harry swooped down and called one.

"You okay, Gin?" Harry called.

Ginny shook her head. Apparently she had rammed right into Bulstrode and twisted around off the impact. When she had twisted, a bludger smashed into her back. However, biting through pain, Ginny had put the Quaffle through the right hoop to bring the score to 70-50.

Ron observed Ginny's injury. "Shit, Gin... it's swelling up... okay your off, Gin, good job. Go see Madam Pomfrey now..."

"NO! I'm not letting Slytherin win," said Ginny, grinding her teeth. Harry was truly impressed with Ginny's tough resolve.

"Ginny, are you sure you're fine? It's your call, but if I see you struggling, you're going straight to the hospital wing. Wait a second."

Harry pulled out his wand, and waved it over Ginny's bruise. A faint blue light went over it, and it faded slightly.

"That should make it a little bit better... nothing like Madam Pomfrey of course, but that is the best I can do..."

"Thanks, Harry, it'll do."

Ron made the signal to Madam Hooch, and the Gryffindor Quidditch Team flew up into the air again.

Twenty minutes later, Harry realized that Ginny was DEFINITELY not okay. She lagged behind, and her face was wrenched in an expression of pain.

"TIME!" called Harry.

"Gin, you're not okay. C'mon I'm taking you to the hospital wing."

"Don't be ridiculous, Harry, the team needs you. I'll go myself..."

"No wait..."

Harry sped off into the stands where Hermione sat with Luna.

"Mione! Would you mind taking Gin to the hospital wing?" he shouted.

"No problem, where is she?"

Harry pointed, and sped back to his teammates.

"Hermione's coming Gin. We'll wait with you until she gets here. You did good Ginny, we're proud of you," Harry said.

The whole team agreed wholeheartedly. Even when Ginny was injured, she had scored two more goals, and thanks to Ron's brilliant goalkeeping, Slytherin had scored none, which brought the game to a tie.

Hermione had arrived, and led Ginny out. Before she got out of hearing distance, she turned around.

"Oh and go kick some Slytherin arse, guys, don't let me down!"

With a wink, the two girls disappeared off to the castle.

"Alright guys, we're down a chaser here. I'll get the snitch as soon as possible, but for now, we concentrate on defence. Make sure they don't get up by more than 140 points, alright?"

"Alright."

Again, the Gryffindors took flight again, however this time one player short.

Very soon, it had turned nasty. Without Ginny, Gryffindor had basically no offence, and they were one player short on defence.

Suddenly, in the nick of time, Harry saw the snitch. The problem was Blaise Zabini had seen it too.

They dived. Blaise was closer to the snitch than Harry, but he had a better broom... bit by bit, Harry had caught up to him.

The snitch flew to Blaise's side, and Harry decided that now wasn't a time to be a gentleman, as Wood had put it in times long gone. Harry flipped to the other direction, causing the tail of his broomstick to crash into Blaise's broom, veering her off course. Harry, with the better broom, immediately dived after the snitch.

"Gryffindor captain has gone crazy! He dives like a bullet towards the ground... but wait! WAIT! OH MY GOD! HE SNATCHES THE SNITCH OUT OF THE GROUND RIGHT BEFORE IT HITS, AND HE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO AVOID BEING CRUSHED! HE'S GOT IT! HE'S GOT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WIN 220-150!"

The crowd roared its delight, even the Ravenclaws who had just been applauding politely before then. The Slytherins hissed, and the Hufflepuffs merely walked away, although some of them were applauding quite loudly themselves at Harry's spectacular dive. Harry was in the midst of celebrating with his teammates, pumping his fist up and down, still clutching the snitch in one hand, his Firebolt in another. He saw two girls waving just inside the castle, apparently hearing the noise that had been made signaling the end of the game. Harry tapped Ron.

"C'mon, Gin and Mione are waiting."

The two boys grabbed their brooms and sped off towards the castle, leaving the still uproarious crowd behind.

"Hermione, I take it you'll still come with me to the ball this Christmas Eve?" asked Ron, yawning as he said so one cold December night, two days before Christmas Eve.

Hermione sighed, and said, "I guess..."

"What's wrong? Why are you..."

"Ron, that WASN'T the most romantic way of asking a girl to the ball you could think of was it?" asked Ginny suggestively.

"Oh... right. Well, too bad it's already past," said Ron, and went back to his book about learning to be an animagus, evidently unaware of Hermione who had just gasped in disbelief at how Ron couldn't take a hint.

She walked quickly out of the room, up the staircases, and a loud bang could be heard.

"What's up with _her _tonight?" asked Ron.

"Oh you are so TACTLESS!" cried Ginny, and she in turn walked out of the room and followed Hermione.

"Must be that time of the month..." muttered Ron under his breath.

"Ron, what they're getting at is for you to ask Hermione nicely to the ball. It'd make her feel more appreciated, and not just taken for granted," said Harry wisely from behind his Auror's book that he had gotten from Moody for his birthday.

"But why? I mean she's already my girlfriend, shouldn't I just assume that we'll be going together?"

"Take a lesson in girl psychology, don't ask me, I'll never know," said Harry.

"Oh blimey, forget it. I'll make it up to her tomorrow. You want a game of chess?"

"I'll take you up on that," said Ginny who had come back down. "If you don't mind of course, Harry."

"Oh, not at all, and may I say, you look absolutely spanking _gorgeous_ tonight Miss Weasley. Would you care to accompany me to the ball on Christmas Eve?" asked Harry with a mock bow.

"I'd be _delighted _to, Mr. Potter."

Ron burst out into a fit of laughter. "Oh you two are so pathetic!"

"But that, in a nutshell, is how you ask a girl to the ball nicely, Ron," said Harry, and watched the siblings get into a fiercely competitive game of chess.

"Ah, Mr. Potter! Delightful to see you again! Would you care to purchase another gift for your lady? Oh and JUST in time for Christmas too!" said the short shopkeeper in the luxury jewelry store in Hogsmeade. He was nearly bouncing in delight in the anticipation of a big sale.

"Yes, indeed, Mr. Autan. This time I'm looking for something along the lines of a bracelet, do you have any in stock?"

"Why of course! We have bracelets, watches... all sorts of things. In fact, a new product just came in today, from the finest craftwizards of Switzerland!"

The shopkeeper waved his wand and two watches came flying out. Harry was immediately attracted to them. It was made of a silvery colored substance, was as strong as steel but was as light as a feather with a cool, metallic feel around it.

"You see, Mr. Potter, during this war, our customers have wanted a little bit more products that can, err... help defend oneself. Here, let me demonstrate."

He led Harry to a side room with a model of a woman wearing jewelry and strapped the watch on the model.

"Now, get well out of the way Mr. Potter... wouldn't want to get hurt would we?"

Harry bristled a bit at the way of addressing him, but obliged.

"Now... STUPEFY!" the shopkeeper yelled, aiming at the model.

A strange net of white light flew out of the watch and bounced the stunning curse straight back towards the shopkeeper, and he had to dive out of the way to avoid it.

"Automatic protection, you'll never get ambushed again! Plus, should you be in a situation where you could not fight, the watch can be automatically tuned into a portkey to take you to a specific place, such as your home, by the mere pressing of that button over there... now this portkey is programmed to come straight to the front desk of my store... watch."

He pressed the button, and disappeared.

"Come here, Mr. Potter," the shopkeeper called out. "The nice thing about this watch is that its magically branded to you, and you alone, so the witch or wizard that says the activation charm is the only person that can use the special effects that the watch has..."

Harry was amazed. He had seen many useful gadgets in the seven years he had been in the wizarding world, but none quite as useful as that.

"There are also more functions, in the instruction manual that comes with the watch..."

"That's brilliant! How much is it each?"

"Two thousand galleons, a bargain for you, Mr. Potter!"

"Two thousand, huh? Tell you what. I'd like to buy two of these, one designed for males, one designed for females, but unfortunately I've spent a lot more than I should on Christmas presents so far, and two more watches just really tips the scales..."

Half an hour later, after a large amount of haggling, Harry left the shop with one check less, but two very priceless watches in its stead. Harry had already gotten Ron a new pair of keeper's gloves, Hermione an encyclopedia of spells developed by ancient Africans, Parvati (because he had overheard the fact that she got him something) a crystal ball, Luna a box of sugar quills, and Neville a jar of every flavor beans. With Ginny's gift done and out of the way, Harry walked back to Hogwarts.

Harry had just crept out of the witch's hump when Ron had bumped right into him.

"What were you... oh GOD HARRY! You bought PRESENTS!" said Ron. Ron turned and thought for a second, and exclaimed, "You didn't bring me?"

"I was shopping FOR you too... I couldn't very well bring you along too could I?"

"Oh really? What did you buy?"

"You're not finding out that easy... now there's still three hours before dinner... if you hurry..."

Ron pushed Harry out of the way, and yelled, "Dissendium!"

Before Harry knew it, Ron had jumped down.

Chuckling to himself, Harry went upstairs and placed down his purchases, when he heard a fiery argument from inside the common room.

"FOR THE LAST TIME COLIN, NO I DON'T WANT TO GO OUT WITH YOU! I'M WITH HARRY!"

"Oh, yeah, like the rest of the school population... Parvati, and the likes of her..."

"Shut up, what do you know?"

"Ginny, I've heard Harry telling Parvati..."

"Listen, I don't have time to listen to you make up lies."

"Yet you stay in school every day listening to Harry's? You realize that he's just a bigheaded lunatic who steals the limelight from Dumbledore because of some freak accident when he was a baby... plus he's just using you to make himself look even better, I bet he doesn't care for YOU at all... You know what I learnt when Malfoy put the Imperius on me? I could access some of his memories when he let me... did you know that Harry is..." Colin uttered a long string of insults.

A loud slap was heard.

"DON'T INSULT HARRY YOU LITTLE DEATH EATER! HE'S WORTH A HUNDRED OF YOU!"

"He doesn't even love you, Ginny, I do. You know I do, we were great together... people voted us the sweetest couple in the school..."

"Ha! Realized that you missed your chance? Need a decent girl to cheer you're stinking Death Eater self up? And how do you _love _me? Hermione told me how Harry had thrown off the Imperius Curse in his fourth year. He did it because of a strong will, everyone said. If you had a strong will and you actually had ANY feelings for me you would've..."

"I've realized that watching for months famous perfect Potter grope you in the hallways just how much you actually meant to me... plus you know it... deep down you love me as much as I love you."

"How dare you!"

"You know you want me too Ginny..."

Harry heard Ginny laugh.

"Never in a million years would I ever 'want' you Colin. Not anymore."

"Ginny, if you like Potter because of his so called powerful self, and you're sure he'd protect you, you're all wrong... Remus Lupin was killed because of Potter... they killed him because he was friends with Potter's dad... but, I could easily get someone to put another Imperius on me... I could be just as strong as Potter, any day!"

"Is THIS what it's all about, Colin? You had a taste of power under Malfoy's imperius curse and you want MORE? That is just PATHETIC! ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC! Giving up your free will for a bit more POWER... even Death Eaters don't sink THAT low..."

"No, of course not... I want you Ginny... we were meant to be together... we fit each other perfectly... and if power is what I need to get you..."

"Don't give me that loud of dung. Get out of here Colin. When you had come to talk before I thought it was because you were dealing with your conscience so I tried to be nice and understanding, despite the fact that just being around you gives me an uneasy feeling... but to think that you actually ENJOYED the time under the Imperius... you are without a doubt the most low-down pathetic excuse for a Gryffindor I ever seen..."

"FINE! I've had it with you, I should've known that all you were was a little poor girl who just grabs her chance with the great famous Potter to get herself some money and gifts... say, how much DOES he pay you?"

Harry walked in, his green eyes alight with fury.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for insulting a fellow prefect and the Head Boy and being off bounds... and if I ever hear you utter foul words out of your stinking mouth about Ginny, Ron, or ANY Weasleys again you'll get what the rest of the scum that served Voldemort get. I don't care if you were under the imperius or not, it doesn't give you an excuse to start trying to recruit others to the cause. Oh, and if I ever see you in the Head Boy dorm again, I will personally ensure that you are expelled. Now, I'll be seeing Dumbledore about your suspension... that is assuming you've only been here twice, but if you've been here a THIRD time... well you know what happens... Now, get out before I lose my temper," Harry said calmly, although his expression betrayed his already imminent anger.

"You... I can't believe you! When will the wizarding world wake up and..."

"That's it Creevey. We're going to the headmaster."

Jumping on Colin, Harry activated his portkey that took him to Dumbledore's office. He felt the familiar tug and the next second he was in Dumbledore's office, straightening himself.

"Professor Dumbledore, Colin Creevey was out of bounds, and from what I've heard this isn't his first time..." started Harry, who broke off after the sight of the Headmaster slumped in a chair, seemingly motionless.

"What? Oh hello Harry, Colin..." said Dumbledore who had immediately snapped to attention.

Harry gave Dumbledore an inquiring look, but Dumbledore immediately shook his head.

"Well... Colin here was out of bounds, in the Head Boy common room... and I've heard through his and Ginny's conversation this isn't the first time. I do believe being out of bounds calls for a punishment?"

"Yes... yes..." Dumbledore stood, and threw a handful of floo powder into the fire, saying, "Minerva McGonagall."

McGonagall's face appeared in the fire a few minutes, saying, "Oh Albus, do you need anything? Another potion?"

"No, no, Minerva... we have a problem with a student being out of bounds..."

"I'll be there in a second."

McGonagall appeared out of the fire, and straightened. "Potter, Creevey, or both?"

"Creevey, Minerva. Now, if you don't mind I'll be going, much to do, feel free to use my office."

"Thank you, Headmaster."

"Now... what is the problem?"

"EXPELLED? Awesome! Way to use your Head Boy powers! Who did you expel?" exclaimed Ron at dinner.

"I didn't rat on him for no reason..."

"Who?"

"Colin Creevey."

"But he was on the imperius..."

"Not for that..."

And so Harry explained to Ron and Hermione how Colin had been talking to Ginny, and how he had insulted her.

"...and I'll be damned if I let someone insult me and my girlfriend for no reason at all and get away with it. Plus, I've had enough... look things just 'happen' to me all the time, and I'm not going to let anything bad that is short of inevitable to happen to me."

"Totally agree with you mate. I would've done more than you, Harry. I would've..."

"I'm glad to see you're taking your responsibility seriously Harry, I should've known you'd be a great Head Boy..."

"At least you two both approve, even if it's in different ways..." Harry smiled, and slung his arms around his two best friends, walking out of the Great Hall. Harry noticed that Ginny was nowhere to be seen, and he decided maybe she needed some alone time, for whatever reason.

An hour later, after visiting Hagrid with Ron and Hermione, Harry said, "C'mon, I haven't seen Ginny for a while, lets go and check the Marauder's Map..."

Walking back into Harry's dorm, he took out the old piece of parchment.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

The Marauder's Map activated, and Harry immediately spotted Ginny in the Marauder's room, alone.

"I know where she is. I'm going to go see her... you two can stay if you want."

Ron and Hermione nodded.

Harry, grabbing his invisibility cloak, disappeared and walked out of the dorm. Harry's little mysticat jumped on his shoulder - it must've been able to see through invisibility cloaks. Re-adjusting the invisibility cloak so it covered the mysticat, he climbed out the portrait hole, and headed to the Marauder's room. He didn't want anyone to find out the location of the room.

He found her sitting alone, calmly looking into the fireplace, with Prongs' song on.

Harry stood silently for a while, watching Ginny as the light flickering from the fire illuminated her fiery red hair, her freckles, and her eyes. The mysticat purred softly and jumped off Harry's shoulder, starting to look around the room.

Whispering "Prongs" to close the hole, Harry walked over, and pulled Ginny into a hug.

She jerked at first, but then relaxed into the hug.

"You're beautiful, Ginny... you know that don't you?"

Ginny smirked up at him. "Do you want to kiss me or something?"

"Trick question huh... but I was serious... you're... you're... Ginny, you know Colin was totally lying don't you? I mean I... you know, I got him expelled... you don't mind do you?" said Harry very fast, not at all like his usual self.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Ginny pulled Harry's face down to hers, and kissed him lightly.

When they broke apart, Harry looked deep into Ginny's eyes. He now felt what he had felt that summer's night magnified a few times. Harry hesitated for just one second, and voiced what he had been thinking of saying for a few months now.

"Ginny...what I want to say is I... well I love you."

Ginny smiled, a genuine, lit from within smile. "I love you too. You do know that I always have, but I couldn't just wait for you forever... If I had done that you'd still be oblivious to me..."

"But that's not very fair... you can't just..."

"Harry, shut up."

They kissed again.

"So, what did you get Hermione, Ron?"

"No way, I'm not about to tell you this time..."

"Fine fine... why is it that we're always down here half an hour before they are?"

"They're girls, they take a long time to dress up... mind you it's worth it... even Ginny looked okay."

"That's not very nice..."

"Bollocks. I just gave her a compliment!"

"Ron, you're more thick-skulled than I am when it comes to dishing out compliments..."

"Whatever, bighead..."

"Thick skull..."

"Bighead!"

"Thick skull!"

"BIGHEAD!"

Harry stopped and smiled.

"What?"

"Ginny."

Ginny had her hair twisted up into an elegant knot at the top of her head, and she was wearing the same silver-white robes she had wore for the Halloween Ball, Harry's necklace, and she had taken it to put glitter on her face.

"Oh hi, Ginny, where's Hermione... why are there dots all over your face... and why is your hair ridiculously like that!"

"I think you look gorgeous..." said Harry, walking over to Ginny, handing her a bouquet of ever-lasting roses, and sliding his arm around her waist.

"Shut up, Potter, and stop eying my little sister!"

"She's MY girlfriend...!"

"She's MY sister!"

"I'm both, so please stop fighting over me," said Ginny, although she was smiling. "Oh, and here comes your princess Ronniekins."

"Shut up... Hi Hermione... you look lovely tonight..."

"Shut up, Weasley, and stop eying my best friend!"

"She's MY girlfriend!"

"She's practically my sister!"

"Shut up Harry!" yelled Ron and Ginny.

"Okay, okay..."

The four students made their way down to the Great Hall, and were surprised that there was hardly any space, and that music was already blasting.

"Oh yeah... everyone's allowed at this ball..." said Hermione.

"Right... well lets go find a table... unless you'd like to dance first?"

"You bet."

Ron and Hermione went off by themselves leaving Harry and Ginny alone.

Harry led Ginny into the center of the dance floor, when something very strange happened.

"ALL STUDENTS GET TO YOUR COMMON ROOMS!" roared Dumbledore, without giving an explanation.

First years shrieked, Second years turned their heads around frantically, third and fourth years ran out of the hall, fifth and sixth years were trying to calm down the youngest students and force them to leave.

Harry saw Dumbledore talking very fast to Snape and McGonagall. He started to walk over, but Dumbledore shook his head. Muttering something, Dumbledore sent a jet of silver light towards Harry.

Harry didn't dodge it... he knew he could trust Dumbledore.

_There's something in the castle. Stay in the Head Boy dorm, do NOT leave unless there is imminent danger. We don't know what it is but something set off the wards... GO!_

Harry nodded, and pulled Ginny quickly towards Ron and Hermione.

"Something is in the castle. We're not to help under any circumstances. Come on," whispered Harry hurriedly.

They ran quickly to the Head Boy room, panting slightly when they reached the portrait hole, and scrambled in.

Harry's mysticat purred as they walked in, immediately jumping onto Harry's shoulder.

An hour long the four friends sat in a circle, waiting, waiting for any news, whether good or bad, until they couldn't stand it any more.

"Did they forget about us or something?" yawned Ron.

Harry was still clutching his wand, his eyes still staring a hole into the portrait hole, when McGonagall's head finally appeared in the fireplace.

"We found... nothing."

"Great! Nothing got in then?" exclaimed Ron.

"No it isn't, is it, Professor?" said Hermione thoughtfully.

"No indeed Miss Granger... the Hogwarts wards don't malfunction... they were placed upon the grounds by the founders themselves..."

"So what does this mean?" asked Ginny.

"It means something is in Hogwarts. They aren't showing themselves yet, but we know they're there."

"What are we going to do?" questioned Harry.

"_We're_ not going to do anything. All four of you will return to Grimmauld Place for Christmas tonight, in thirty minutes. The school is being evacuated for the holidays for further inspection. Bring all your belongings, and come down to the Great Hall in half an hour."

"Yes, Professor."

They scrambled for their trunks and forty-five minutes later, courtesy of a portkey, they were in Grimmauld Place, face to face with the Weasleys, and the Grangers.

Harry watched with a twinge of jealously at the two families which were embracing their children.

Hermione saw Harry standing alone and quickly pulled him to her and her family.

"I know what you're thinking Harry..."

"But you can't understand..." Harry stopped. He didn't want to be one to moan all the time.

"But I can help, if you let me. I love you Harry, you're my brother, and it doesn't matter if you weren't _born_ as my brother, or even if you consider yourself to be, you'll still be my brother, my family. You might not have your blood family with you but you have family all the same."

Harry was touched. He had never appreciated Hermione as much as he did then, as he watched the Weasleys happily talking to each other with grins on their faces.

Harry nodded. "Thanks, Hermione. Sis."

Hermione smiled and hugged him.

"That's what I'm here for."

In an invisible mansion in La Havre, France, Voldemort gathered his elite Death Eaters, thirteen of them.

"Tell Peter and Bella to set up a portkey detection and redirection charm over Hogwarts. I believe its time we set a trap for young Potter again."

Pacing around, and glaring each of his faithful Death Eaters in the eye, Voldemort asked, "What of your Father, Draco?"

"No success, my Lord. Two-year olds are more charismatic than he is. He cannot take care of himself at all - he's basically a forty-eight year old infant. Mother is taking care of him the best she can and trying to reverse the memory charm - not even the strongest Dark Magic has been able to reverse Potter's spell..."

"Very well, Draco. You take your father's place with Avery in organizing our forces for a trap."

"Yes, my Lord."

"This time, Potter's luck is up..."

_January 1980 - Alternate Timeline_

"Ginny, Ron, I'd like you to meet my parents," said Harry with a grin, and a wink at Hermione.

December 4th, 11:57 - Primary Timeline - Riddle Mansion, La Havre

"It's done, my Lord. The next five Portkeys directed at Hogwarts will be transported to the mansion."

"Well done, Bella. I trust that the old fool is still unaware of our plans?"

"No, master. He is sick and elderly - it seems as if someone sapped his powers - or maybe he's just getting too old."

"I see... do not let down your guard. You and Peter must stay in Hogwarts - you've gotten in safely, we need to keep this valuable position... feel free to kill either Dumbledore or Potter if an opportunity arises... return to the Dark Forest, and await further orders..."

"Yes master."

Voldemort stood, and hissed to the giant snake next to him. "It's all coming together Nagini... by the second week of the new year you shall feed on Potter's corpse."


	12. Chapter 12

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Twelve - Presents and Surprises

"Wow that was amazing..." said Ron as they went to sleep that night.

The one-month trip back to his parents' time had certainly been interesting. Harry had caught up with Remus, Sirius, James and Lily, telling them about everything that happened in the future. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Remus, Sirius and James had played Quidditch in the backyard of Godric's Hollow every day. Ron was so happy because Sirius and James had taught him quite a few tricks. Ron was practically bouncing in anticipation of the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw match that would come at the end of the year when they got back.

Lily and James had treated Hermione, Ron, and Ginny as their own children. James especially had a certain fondness for Ginny - Harry had laughed as he knew then that he was indeed his father's son. The Sirius of 1980 had liked Ron the most - they spent every day laughing and discussing Quidditch - it turned out Sirius had also supported the Chudley Cannons. Lily on the other hand preferred Hermione's quick wit, and her strong nature - the previous one month trip had allowed them to become good friends, and they remained that way on this trip. Remus Lupin had visited quite a few times, and Harry was amazed at how different Remus was in 1980. He did not look old or tired, despite his lycanthrope condition. Harry guessed that it must've been the thirteen years he lived without his friends, believing them all to be dead or traitors that had turned the handsome man into the long-suffering tired man that Harry had known.

One month away from all the terror going on in the world and Harry had felt perfectly ready to take anything that Voldemort could throw at him. He was rejuvenated, spending another month with his family, both blood and friendship families. Harry's family had decided on a name for his little mysticat, Fortuna - for luck.

Of course, in their timeline, just one minute had passed, and they were still in the position they were in before they left. Hogwarts had been infiltrated with something or someone, and Voldemort was gathering power once again, as Mr. Weasley had told them.

Harry had gone to sleep that night with a smile on his face however, as he thought happily of the month spent with his family.

The next morning was just as cheerful. Harry was awoken by a jet of water sent into his face by Ron who, on his now grown up face, had a grin of childish delight.

"PRESENTS!" he yelled.

Harry sprung up, pulled on a pair of jeans and a black top, and ran headfirst out of the room, with Ron tailing him. Loud footsteps behind them meant Ginny and Hermione were there too.

Ron pushed past Harry and ran towards his magically enlarged stocking hanging over the fireplace in the living room, which held all his presents.

"Accio stocking!" cried a voice.

Harry and Ron whipped around, as the stocking flew away from Ron's outstretched hands and into the hands of Molly Weasley.

"Wait until everyone else is here, Ronald!" scolded Mrs. Weasley. "Arthur! Bill! Charlie! Percy! Come down, its time to open presents!"

"Yes Mum!" called three voices, and Arthur Weasley was already behind Mrs. Weasley by the time she finished calling.

"Hermione, dear, would you mind calling your parents?"

Hermione ran up the stairs, and a few minutes later came bounding back into the room with her parents looking very tired behind her.

"Alright! We're all here! Time to start opening presents! Eldest first, I say, okay?" said Mrs. Weasley.

Harry watched happily as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley opened a present from him, a large album of paintings by the esteemed painting Megan Wartmeyer, and a bicycle for Mr. Weasley to experiment with. The Weasley parents beamed at Harry, and offered their thanks.

It turned out that everyone had thought to get the Weasley parents either a book or some form of art, which they appreciated all the same, but by the last present (from Percy) Arthur Weasley's smile had started to look a bit tired.

Next was Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Harry had gotten them a present from the 1980s popular music section when he had traveled back in time to meet his parents - he thought they'd appreciate it seeing as they were from that era.

Harry noticed that the Grangers had a significant amount less of presents than the Weasleys. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gotten them a present, Hermione and Harry had, but none of the other Weasleys had thought of it. Harry knew that their muggle friends wouldn't be able to find Mr. and Mrs. Granger, now that they had sacrificed their daily lives for their (and Hermione's) safety.

The Weasley brothers had gotten quite normal presents, like quills and candy, although Fred and George Weasley did in fact get a massive box from Zonko's - they were thanking the twins for the inspiration they brought to the world of magical entertainment. Everyone had smirked at that.

When Ron opened his Keeper's gloves from Harry, he gasped and held them up, dancing around and insisting to everyone that they go outside and play Quidditch right away, so he could test his Keeper gloves.

"Absolutely not! Go on, Ronald, open Hermione's present."

Harry leaned forwards. This was the part he was looking forward to. Ginny had told him about Hermione spending days and nights making a present for Ron.

"Okay, Mum..."

Ron ripped open the wrapping unceremoniously, and took out what looked like a fang attached to a gold chain.

"Do you like it?" asked Hermione hopefully.

"Yeah, thanks Hermione! But... what is it?"

"It's a saber-tooth tiger fang - its supposed to have a lot of magical properties, like..."

"I love it, Hermione, thanks!" interrupted Ron.

Hermione looked rather taken aback but gave Ron a hug anyway.

Harry stood up and grinned. It was his turn.

First he opened a present from Tonks, who couldn't be at Grimmauld Place but sent a present along anyway.

He opened it, and found a bottle of _Dr. Sleezey's Hair Tamer_, and a note.

_Dear Harry,_

_Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy this hair potion, its one of the newest on the market, I reckon it'll even work with your hair! Use it on a special occasion!_

_Tonks_

Harry smirked. Tonks had just inadvertently insulted his hair, but he thanked her for providing a solution to it.

Next was a dragon-hide wand holster from Ron, which Harry tried on immediately, finding it was feather-light. Harry thanked Ron, and he said, "No problem, its nothing compared to these gloves... wow..."

And Ron went back to examining his brand new black gloves.

"Open mine!" squealed Hermione.

Harry opened it, and not to his surprise, he found a book. However, to his surprise, it wasn't any old book. It was a diary.

Hermione motioned for him to open the diary, and as Harry did so a note fell out.

_Dear Harry,_

_This is an account of all the adventures we've had together, and all the memories, good and bad of our friendship. I hope you'll add to it, and one day let me read it too. I hope you enjoy it, and Merry Christmas! _

_Love, _

_Sis_

Harry again was touched. He smiled at the thoughtfulness of the present, and how Hermione had signed it 'Sis'. She nodded at him with a smile, and he grinned back at her. Harry thought back to the bossy eleven-year old Hermione used to be, and he thought to himself that he'd never have thought Hermione could be so sweet to him.

"Harry?"

"Oh, sorry."

Harry opened the next present, a set of navy blue dress robes from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Harry nodded his thanks, and opened the present from Bill and Charlie, a silver pocketknife.

"It's supposed to be able to cut into anything - dead useful for Aurors... thought you might need it one day."

"Thanks Bill, thanks Charlie..."

Harry opened the next few presents from Neville, Luna, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, and Percy, which all contained various sweets, and Harry found himself with a large boxful of sweets at the end.

Harry then looked to the last two presents, both in small boxes.

Harry opened a box first, and found it was from Parvati.

It was a bottle of muggle cologne, and a pair of contact lenses, with a short note wishing him a happy Christmas.

Harry hoped that Parvati was pleased with his gift - she must've gone through a lot of trouble to go into the muggle world to buy Harry those presents.

Harry looked to the second box, and decided it must be from Ginny.

He tore open the wrapping gently, and looked inside. It was a plain silver ring - it was attractive but not flashy. He opened the note that was next to the ring.

_Harry_

_A ring represents my love for you. Its simple, but pure, it encircles me forever, and it has no beginning, and no end. Wear this always if you feel the same way._

_Forever yours, _

_Ginny_

Harry grinned at her, and immediately placed the ring around his finger. Harry walked over to Ginny and kissed her on the cheek, oblivious to everyone else there.

"POTTER GET OFF MY SISTER!" yelled Fred and George, and Percy.

Bill and Charlie made no response - they had heard that Harry and Ginny were together.

"Shut up Percy... Fred... George... I'm going out with Harry, its alright..."

"BUT!"

"George," said Mr. Weasley in a scolding tone.

"Okay, okay."

"Anyway, thanks Gin, I love it."

"Sure, Harry... Is that the last present?"

"Yeah..."

"MY TURN!" yelled Hermione, and she dived into her pile of presents.

She came out with Harry's first. As she ripped apart the wrapping, Hermione squealed in delight. "Wow, HARRY! How did you know that I didn't have this book?"

"Easy, there are only a hundred copies in the world... I ordered it from Hogsmeade - they got it from Egypt."

"REALLY? Wow...! I love it! Thanks, bro!"

"Glad you like it, sis."

Hermione set Harry's present gingerly down on the coffee table next to the long red sofa that Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione sat on.

Hermione ripped open a few more presents, books on random things, from Arithmancy to chemistry (from Mr. and Mrs. Granger, as they were used to buying muggle books for their only daughter). Harry had to stop himself from laughing - every single present was a book so far, besides a box-full of Wizard Wheezes from Fred and George.

Finally, after taking out Ginny's present (_Jinxes for the Witch at War_), she opened the last package, which Harry knew by process of elimination, was from Ron.

Hermione was grinning in anticipation as she slowly ripped off the wrapping - she seemed to be trembling, but still teasing herself by opening it slowly.

Ron watched with a wide smile across his face.

Hermione opened the package, not to find a book, not to find jewelry, but to find a bottle of butterbeer and a white rose.

She immediately pushed the butterbeer away impatiently, and picked up the rose.

Hermione must've expected something special to happen, but nothing did. It was just a rose - a beautiful rose, but a plain rose nonetheless.

"Err... thanks Ron..."

Ron beamed; apparently unaware of the incredulous looks Ginny, Harry, Bill and Charlie were giving him.

Hermione was obviously very disappointed, gifts from everyone - even Percy, had been better than Ron's. There were bottles of butterbeer everywhere around Grimmauld Place, and the rose showed nothing interesting - it wasn't especially beautiful.

Ron obviously thought his gift was remarkably romantic, as he was still beaming, and he slung his arm around Hermione. She looked as if she wanted to shake him off.

"Okay... Ginny's turn!"

Ginny cheered and immediately opened her presents, a necklace from Arthur and Molly Weasley, a variety of Wizard Wheezes from Fred and George, a bottle of perfume from Bill and Charlie, a new owl from Hermione who had just flown in as Ginny opened Ron's present - a Chudley Cannons book. She had finally come to Harry's present, and Harry watched in nervous anticipation.

He observed how she was (like Hermione) unwrapping the package slowly, a lock of bright red hair falling in her eyes, but she left it there, as she squinted to see what it was, until she couldn't take it anymore, and ripped off the wrapping paper altogether.

A quiet gasp went throughout the room, as they looked at the beautiful watch inside a solid crystal case.

"Wow... its beautiful Harry..." Ginny sighed.

"D'ya... d'ya like it?"

"Like it? I LOVE it!" cried Ginny, and started to place it on.

"No, wait Gin! It's more than just a watch. You have to say the activation charm - its in the user manual's second page to brand it to you - it's a protective item, not just a pretty watch. Read about it when you have some time, but now, activate it!"

"Okay... it says... 'Boomslang Skin!'" The watched glowed silver for a second, and found itself attached onto Ginny's wrist.

Fred or George had started to murmur at this, obviously discussing how much it cost Harry.

"Here... for a short demonstration... may I?" asked Harry.

"Okay... but what do I do?"

"Just stand there, and don't dodge my spell."

"Okay..."

"Expelliarmus," said Harry softly, sending a jet of red light to Ginny.

Instead of the white net of light that came out of the shopkeeper's watch to reflect the spell, an orange net flew out of Ginny's watch, and the spell flew straight back at Harry, and he found his wand flying out of his hand and into Ginny's.

"Just like that."

"Wow..." murmured multiple voices in shock.

"And it's so beautiful too... what's it made of, Harry?"

"Oh... something like titanium and silver... I don't remember..."

"Its wonderful, Harry. Thank you so much..."

"Okay okay, enough of the mushy stuff, lets go play some Quidditch!" yelled Ron.

"Now boys, you mustn't fly too high... the protective wards only go so far..."

Ron nodded and ran out of the room, Charlie, Fred, George, and Bill following him quickly, Percy walking up the stairs - apparently not joining his brothers, leaving Harry, Hermione, and Ginny behind.

"Shall we go, then?" asked Harry, however his mind was far from Quidditch. Yet again, he found himself itching to run his hands through Ginny's silky red hair.

"Yeah... listen Harry, I'm serious, thank you so much for that watch... I'm so lucky to have such a considerate boyfriend..."

Hermione made a strangled sound and ran out of the room.

"Oh shit... I didn't mean to remind her of Ron..." said Ginny.

"Don't worry, I'll fix it, go outside and play."

Harry brushed his lips across her cheek and ran to find Hermione, who was sitting on her bed silently fuming, with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Sis?"

"Go away, Harry... I want to be alone..."

"No. If I'm your brother than I'm going to damn well act like it. Hermione, I'll talk to Ron today, okay? Just cheer up, please, it's Christmas!"

"He's so hopeless! That was EMBARRASSING you know? You go off and buy Ginny the best gift a girl could possibly want and Ron comes along with a dented bottle of butterbeer and a stinky three-day old rose! It's not fair!"

"Shh..." Harry whispered quietly, and sat down next to Hermione. "I'll get you one too if you want, sis..."

"Harry, that's not the point! Ron doesn't CARE about me at all! He comes and probably conjures up the stinking rose, and takes the butterbeer from under his bed..."

"But Hermione, I'm sure he does care... he DID go to Hogsmeade to buy those two things..."

"Harry," Hermione said, her voice dropping down to an extremely quiet whisper. "I saw him with Lavender..."

"WHAT?"

"I _said_, I SAW HIM WITH LAVENDER! The day before he asked me to the Christmas Ball... THEY WERE HOLDING HANDS AND LAUGHING!"

"But..."

"Damn straight!"

"He was probably just doing that as a friend - you know, they did get to know each other a bit after you two broke up the first time..."

"HARRY! STOP SIDING WITH RON! It doesn't _matter _if it was 'just as a friend', I don't like it!"

"Actually Hermione, I think you're right. I'll have a word with Ron after lunch. On one condition though."

"What?"

"You cheer up, and have a nice snowball fight on broomsticks with us."

Hermione pretended to think about it, then said, "Deal."

Harry pulled Hermione up, and pushed her out of her room, grabbing her broom on the way.

Summoning his broom from next door, the two friends walked down.

"FINALLY! There you two are! Okay, let's make teams," shouted Ron.

The Weasleys flew down, and they immediately suggested Charlie and Harry as captains, as they were the seekers.

Hermione objected, "We can't fly too high, so they can't be seekers, the wards only go..."

"Fine, fine, whatever Hermione, they'll be chasers then, we'll play up to 300."

Hermione looked like she was about to say something but restrained from doing so.

"You pick first, Harry," said Charlie, as he climbed onto his broomstick and lifted up.

"Sure... I pick Ginny," said Harry, hovering above Ron, Fred, George, Hermione, Bill and Ginny.

Ginny grinned and joined Harry hovering in the air.

"I take Bill."

"I take Ron!"

"I take George..."

Harry, who was still hovering above them, watched as Fred was mounting his broom, certain Harry would choose him over Hermione - she could barely fly properly, and by the slightly disappointed, unhappy look on her face, she knew it.

"I take Hermione."

"WHAT?" exclaimed seven voices, including Hermione.

"But I never get picked..." she stuttered.

"C'mon Mione, sibs gotta stick together now... c'mon lets get a game plan together."

Fred looked outraged as he flew to join George, Bill, and Charlie, who were laughing heartily at Fred being 'beaten' by Hermione.

"Alright, forget any game plan. Hermione, me, and Ginny are chasers, Ron you're Keeper."

"ALRIGHT C'MON LET'S PLAY ALREADY!" hollered George.

Harry's team launched up, and flew into formation, and the four on four Quidditch game blew into action.

Harry was at his prime as a seeker, but he sure wasn't bad as a chaser. Harry flew mainly with Ginny, as Hermione on Ginny's old Comet couldn't keep up with Ginny's Nimbus, and was far out of its league when comparing with Harry's Firebolt.

The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione had an hour and a half of fun, zipping around on broomsticks (Hermione was still going just a few meters above the ground, and at an annoyingly slow pace), and Harry's team, which was practically short-handed, lost 300-220.

Fred had joked with Harry for his poor choice in teammate on the way back to their rooms in Grimmauld Place, heading for lunch. Harry merely gave Fred a deaf man's smile, and with a wave, slung his arm around Ginny and walked up the first flight of stairs together.

At Harry and Ron's room, Harry and Ginny broke apart, Harry going in to take a shower, and Ginny proceeding to the shared room between her and Hermione.

Before Harry had walked in though, Hermione had pulled him by the arm.

"Thanks, Harry. I know its just a game, and I _know _I'm no good at Quidditch... thanks for choosing me anyway. I appreciate it," said Hermione, quite nervously Harry thought.

"Anytime sis, anytime..."

"Come on now, get ready, Professor Dumbledore expects you all in by 11:30..." called Mrs. Weasley.

The Christmas holidays were over, and it was time to return to Hogwarts. Apparently Dumbledore decided that whatever entered the school was probably just a creature of some sort - no real threat to the school.

Harry now stood in the living room of Grimmauld Place, after being hugged by Mrs. Weasley, he watched Hermione hug her parents tightly, Ron and Ginny being fussed about by their parents and brothers. Fortuna leaped onto Harry's shoulder, and he stroked him lightly. Harry was surprised to see that Fortuna's big feline green eyes looked strange, almost as if it looked extremely worried about something.

Fortuna let out a soft meow, and Harry hugged his beautiful little mysticat tightly.

Harry had a strange feeling of foreboding, but shook it off, as Hermione broke apart and came over to him. They waited as Ron and Ginny made their goodbyes.

Ten minutes later, Ron and Ginny were ready to leave. Mrs. Weasley had tears in her eyes as she fussed about the state of Ron's collar and Ginny's hair.

"Got your portkeys?" sniffed Mrs. Weasley.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger hugged Hermione once again.

"Yes, Mum," said Ron and Ginny, holding up a Weasley sweater that was the portkey.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry and Hermione, holding up a goblet that was theirs'.

"Okay... in three... two... one..."

With an almighty tug, four students disappeared from Grimmauld Place.

Two of them arrived in Hogwarts


	13. Chapter 13

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Thirteen - Riddle Mansion

Harry and Hermione landed in the now-familiar office of Albus Dumbledore, straightening up, and greeting the old wizard who waited for them with a weak smile.

Looking around, Harry noticed that Ron and Ginny had not yet appeared.

"Where are they? Shouldn't they be here at the same time?"

Dumbledore sprung up. "Did they leave at the same time as you?"

"Yes," answered Hermione.

Dumbledore frowned. "I must've programmed the portkey wrong..."

"What!" whispered Harry in a dangerous tone.

Hermione grabbed his arm. She knew what was happening. She had only heard Harry like this once, in sixth year when Malfoy had transfigured Ginny's hair into live snakes and scared the living daylights out of her. Hermione remembered Harry's roar of anger, and she especially remembered the simple stunning charm that had not only knocked Malfoy out, but knocked him with such force he flew backwards, and actually splintered Professor Flitwick's classroom door with his body on impact.

Hermione was scared. Not actually for Harry getting expelled - no, not what any one of Harry's friends would fear at this point. She feared that Dumbledore would get hurt. He looked awfully thin and frail, and Harry had a spark of anger in his eyes. A slightest provocation would cause an explosion.

"I believe I may have..."

"DAMMIT! FOR ALL WE KNOW THEY COULD BE ANYWHERE!" shouted Harry.

Dumbledore sighed, and sat down. "Harry, portkey programming may seem simple, with a simple incantation, but the actual making requires a great strength of mind to..."

"We don't have TIME for this! We have to find Ron and Ginny, they might not be safe!" cried Harry, almost jumping in frustration.

"Relax, Harry, Ron and Ginny are probably in Hogwarts, most likely the Head Boy and Girl common room. I couldn't have made much bigger a mistake, have no worries," said Dumbledore.

Harry and Hermione exhaled in relief.

"Sorry, Professor, its just that given the state of the wizarding world now... Well, if you don't mind, Professor, we'll be going now..."

"Yes, yes... run along now you two."

Harry and Hermione walked slowly back to the common room, greeting a few rather timid looking second years on the way there.

"Beauty rest," said Hermione at the portrait hole.

"GINNNNNNNNNNNNNY!" hollered Harry.

"And Ron!" he added as an afterthought.

No response.

"Must be in one of the rooms, you check yours, I'll check mine."

Harry walked up the left staircase, calling out, "RON!" but receiving no reply.

Harry decided that they must've gone to the kitchens or Hagrid's hut or the Quidditch field, and went back downstairs to meet Hermione. Harry didn't notice that Ron's trunk wasn't there.

"They aren't here Hermione, they probably went for a walk or something... let's just have a game of chess while we wait for them," said Harry, sitting down to the chessboard at his desk.

Hermione sat down opposite Harry, and they started a game of chess.

An hour and a half later, when the chessboard had just four pieces left on it, Harry began to get a bit worried.

"Where do you think they've gone to?"

"Dunno, why don't you go check the Marauder's map?" replied Hermione, who was still staring at the chessboard with a look of concentration on her face.

"Accio Marauder's map," said Harry lazily.

The crumpled bit of parchment flew from his room straight into his hand.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Harry surveyed the map slowly, his expression gradually looking worse and worse.

"Hermione. They aren't here."

"Harry, where do you think you are going?" asked Dumbledore, looking scandalized, stumbling on his walking stick to keep up with Harry and Hermione, who were sweeping out of his office after telling him that Ginny and Ron were gone.

"To find Ginny and Ron."

"How can you do that..."

"I have a tracker on Ginny's watch to use in case we ever needed to find each other. It lets me 'sense' if she's nearby by pressing this button on my watch..."

"It's too dangerous, wait for some aurors to go..."

Harry stopped in his tracks. "No disrespect intended, Headmaster, but you aren't stopping me from going. No, this is my best friend and my girlfriend. I'm not staying out of this one."

"I forbid you! That may be your choice, but I cannot allow you to lead a fellow student with you too..."

"Professor Dumbledore. I'm not going for Harry's sake; I'm going because I must. Nothing is going to stop me either," said Hermione.

Harry stood still and pondered for a moment. "Hermione, maybe he's right though... its too dangerous."

"Harry, I can take care of myself just as well as you can..."

"But you'd be risking your life..."

"If I don't go, there's more a chance that you, Ginny, and Ron will lose yours."

"But..."

"No buts, Harry."

"Fine, fine we don't have time for this!"

Harry immediately broke into a run for the fireplace in his dorm, with Dumbledore and Hermione in his tracks, Dumbledore breathing heavily.

Students observing this scene would be very amused in seeing their Headmaster tail Harry, and seem to be begging a student.

"Professor Dumbledore, you must stay at Hogwarts in case of an attack whilst we're gone. This could be a trap... but do contact Fudge and see if he can send some kind of diversion..." muttered Harry as he grabbed a handful of floo powder from above the fireplace and through it in.

"Wait, Harry. Wherever Voldemort is you can't merely floo in..."

"I know. That's why I'm going to the next best place. Accio Firebolt. Accio invisibility cloak."

Harry caught the Firebolt in his free hand, and tossed the floo powder into the fireplace.

Harry then caught the speeding silvery cloak with his hand that had just held the floo powder, and walked into the green flames.

"Harry you just said it yourself, this is probably a trap! A trap for the sole purpose of snaring you!"

Harry turned and looked Dumbledore in the eye with unfathomable emotion in his eyes. "That's why I have to go. It's my fault Ron and Ginny are there, it'll be my fault if they die."

"But what about Hermione, Harry! You do not realize that you are leading her into danger?"

"I know Hermione by now, after seven years of her being my best friend. I know that no matter what I do, she will not be left behind. It is also her choice to go if she wishes, although if it were up to me she would not be going. I promise you though, Professor, Hermione will not be hurt. Not whilst I'm alive. The invisibility cloak is for her."

"Invisibility cloaks will do no good! You may cause her death, Harry, don't go!" cried Dumbledore in a last ditch attempt to stop Harry from leaving. Hermione was shocked at how Dumbledore now had to resort to emotional blackmail to try and stop Harry. Hermione understood Dumbledore's frustration, how he must stay in Hogwarts whilst he watches one of the strongest wizards ever, almost strong enough to rival Dumbledore himself, to step into Hogwarts walk into a trap, and bringing with him the best student since Tom Riddle. The old wizard cared deeply for them, but also in his heart knew there was nothing he could do to stop Harry.

Harry, with a tortured look in his on his face said, "Then keep her here. I must go, I have no choice."

"Pistols Pub, La Havre," Harry whispered, and disappeared in a whirl of green flame.

Dumbledore held out his hand, blocking Hermione's path. "Hermione if you insist on going... take care of yourself and Harry. If you need, here's another portkey, I will do my best to assure you that you get someone there to help you... now it is the clearing in the mountain path east of La Havre, correct? Good luck, dear Hermione."

Dumbledore pulled out a green bottle cap. The grown wizard looked as if he was about to cry. Hermione immediately felt a surge of emotion towards the old wizard; he treated Harry like a son, and her like a daughter. He truly was a great Headmaster.

"Thank you, Professor."

Hermione noted the massive change in Dumbledore. Two years ago, he never would've allowed Harry or Hermione to leave, but now it seemed as if he wouldn't, or couldn't care anymore. Hermione feared greatly for Dumbledore, as she walked up to the fireplace and threw another handful of floo powder in.

"Pistols Pub, La Havre."

Hermione tumbled out of the fireplace, in a very dirty, musty old pub being pulled up by Harry.

The two walked out of the pub, not noticing a man with a long gash across his face quickly scarper out ahead of them.

"Where are we going, Harry?"

"Hang on... there," Harry pointed at a clearing far away from the little town they were in now.

"There's nothing there..."

"That, Hermione, is Voldemort's hideout. My watch is pointing there, and there's something that just seems... wrong about there. The watch points to where Ginny is so she should be there. C'mon get under the cloak."

"But how do you know all this, Harry? Why do you know there's something there?"

"This town is where Remus Lupin lived during the first war. I visited him last time we went to see my parents, and I remember there was something over there..."

Without another word, Harry swung the cloak over himself and Hermione, and they made their way slowly to the clearing on Harry's Firebolt, until Harry closed his eyes, and laid his hands onto a plank.

It looked like he was pressing on thin air, until Hermione felt what Harry was pushing against.

"No time for pleasantries," said Harry, climbing out from under the cloak. "You stay down there, no need for them to know you're here. Now I'm going to cause a little trouble, find Ginny and Ron, their in some kind of underground basement according to my watch, I can sense them. I'll draw them away, you creep down and portkey them back to Hogwarts, okay? Once we're in the house, you should be able to see everything."

"But..."

Harry didn't wait. "REDUCTO!" he bellowed, shattering the front door, which in turn exposed the whole of the house, which Harry saw was massive.

"Good luck, Hermione," he said, and he strode purposefully into the lair of Lord Voldemort.

"Master! Potter is here!" shouted someone.

Harry silenced him with a rapid-fire stunning spell, and felt Hermione slide past him.

By now, Death Eaters had gathered in Voldemort's 'throne room', waiting for Harry to make his way in.

Harry knew already that it was a trap, but he had no choice but to continue. He heard voices shouting out spells. Harry assumed that the defences were being raised again. He walked up to the strange door that had live snakes crawling all over it, and hissed, "Open."

Slowly, but surely the door cracked open.

"Banisho Serpents." Voldemort's snakes disappeared, and Harry walked into the throne room, where he 'felt' dark forces gather.

"Ah... here he is, my loyal Death Eaters. Potter," Voldemort spat out the last word in disgust.

Harry refrained from clutching at his burning scar, but clutched his wand tight, with the spare wand hidden securely in his holster and shouted aloud, "I am here for my friends, Voldemort!"

Hermione snuck down to the dungeons, only barely hearing voices shouting above her. Riddle Mansion was a curious place, cold, green, and dark in every single room and hallway. Snakes commonly slithered about the halls, and Hermione shuddered to think that they could smell her, yet they left her alone, so she proceeded silently to the dungeons down low, sliding through the open door, and walking down the cold stone steps, with nothing but a torchlight down at the bottom to guide her.

When Hermione reached the bottom of the staircase the sight before her almost made her gasp. Stuck inside Riddle Mansion was indeed Ron and Ginny Weasley, both looking worse for wear, a nearly skeletal Cornelius Fudge, four dead wizards plopped carelessly against a wall, an old witch Hermione didn't know that was practically a skeleton, and _Victor Krum_.

Hermione had not seen Krum since her fourth year, and had only sent him one letter to explain that their relationship was over. She never received a reply.

Krum looked helpless lying there on the floor, blood splattered all over his black robes, his face an empty expression. He looked as if he gave up all hope already. What the Death Eaters kept Krum alive for, Hermione did not know, and certainly did not want to find out.

But Krum, not to mention Fudge's presence put Hermione into a difficult position indeed. Her original intentions were to come in and grab Ron and Ginny, and portkey away without anyone noticing she was there. She still COULD do that, but that would mean leaving Fudge and Krum lying there, probably to be killed once the Death Eaters sniffed out what had happened. Hermione also did not have time to think. There were three Death Eaters patrolling the dungeon, and Hermione, with an expression of horror creeping up on her face, realized one was Draco Malfoy.

Hermione knew all too well that those magical eyes could see through invisibility cloaks. She had merely seconds to think up a plan, for surely Malfoy would turn to her direction soon.

She could either sprint to Ron and Ginny, portkey them out, and alert Dumbledore, or she could knock Malfoy out, and try to beat those two other Death Eater guards - but surely they'd raise an alarm before she reached them all - _if _she reached them all.

She had no choice but to try and rescue Ron and Ginny. She had already tempted luck too long; Malfoy would soon see her.

She ran as fast as she could without making too loud a noise, up to the dirty corner where the Weasley siblings clutched at each other for warmth, wandless. Hermione saw that Ginny still had Harry's watch on her wrist.

Malfoy and the other two Death Eaters were deep in conversation, practically ignoring their prisoners - that's how confident they were in their master's plan.

Hermione reached the corner, and swept the invisibility cloak over Ron and Ginny also, the three of them barely fitting, and placing a hand over Ron's mouth to get him to stop from saying something, she grabbed out the bottle cap, waved her wand over it, and motioned for Ron and Ginny to touch it. She found that they couldn't, and she realized that they were under the full-body bind. She muttered the counter-curse, and the two siblings found that they could move again. Hermione put a finger to her lips, and motioned again for them to touch the bottle cap. They did, tiredly, and Hermione shouted, "Activatio!"

There was no tugging sensation that she had grown accustomed to. However, Ron and Ginny were gone, she observed, thankful for that at the very least. She also noticed that the invisibility cloak was gone. Numbly, Hermione knew that her time was up, as shouts from the three Death Eaters let her know that they were aware of her presence. She regretted that she had shouted the spell to activate the portkey. Slowly, and dumbly, she raised her wand in an attempt to defend herself.

"Avada Ke..."

"NO, GOYLE!" shouted Malfoy, knocking Goyle's wand out of his hand. "Do not harm her, the Dark Lord may have uses for this one yet... stun her and we will bring her up to the throne room. I must remind the Dark Lord to recast the anti-apparition and portkey wards, and the defences..."

Damned would she be if Hermione Granger let the father of the blundering git Goyle best her in a duel. As she heard the word "Stupefy" come out of the large man's mouth, she dodged the beam and yelled, "Skeledestructo!"

Hermione watched, horrified, as the beam of light smacked Goyle in the head, making him crumple to the floor, all the bones in his upper body removed. She had killed someone, she thought hopelessly. She was going to be sent to Azkaban...

"Herm-own-ninny?" said Victor Krum, staring at Hermione with wide eyes. It was all absolutely meaningless to Hermione. She had just killed someone. She was a murderer.

Hermione let out a small whimper, shaking in fright. She didn't even raise her wand to defend herself as a jet of light smacked her straight in the stomach, and for Hermione Granger, all went black.

Harry was in trouble. He was outnumbered about twenty to one, and he had only avoided curses by controlling Death Eaters and causing them to jump into the curses cast by their own comrades, and by creating illusionary copies of himself with a neat little charm Dumbledore had taught him. Minor curses, such as stunning spells and freezing hexes bounced off the bright green net that flew out of his watch. So far, four Death Eaters were immobilized or killed, but it meant nothing, he was still outnumbered, and he still stood no chance. He dared not run, or else they would chase after him, and Hermione's mission might be compromised. He had to hold them off until they escaped, and then he'd portkey out. What was worse was that his scar felt like it was ripping his head open.

"Torrentoria Flamare!" Harry shouted, pointing his wand above Voldemort's throne. Death Eaters dived for cover as fire rained down upon them.

"Avada Kedavra!" he heard Voldemort shriek. An illusionary copy was hit, shimmered, and disappeared.

Voldemort stood and waved his wand. The illusionary copies disappeared, and the Death Eaters he had under the imperius snapped out of it.

Harry swore loudly.

"Leave him to me. It's about time we finally snare the illusive Potter."

Death Eaters chuckled appreciatively, as Voldemort brandished his wand.

Voldemort's face contorted from his disgusting twisted smile into an expression of hatred.

"Goodbye _Potter_. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Harry dived down to avoid the curse, and at that moment, he felt in his heart that Ginny had gotten away. Harry felt a surge of elation surge through him. With a smile on his face, he tapped his watch, and said, "Goodbye _Riddle_. Activatio!"

He felt the jerk on his stomach, but he didn't go anywhere.

"Were you expecting to get away that easily, Potter?"

Harry spat, but inwardly he began to worry. Ginny had obviously portkeyed out; he couldn't sense her in the house anymore through the watch, which meant she was gone... unless they broke the watch...

Harry drew himself up to his full height, preparing to die a hero's death.

"Avada Kedavra!" shouted Voldemort again.

"Skeledestructo!"

The beams of light hit, Harry and Voldemort flew up into the air again. But this time, Harry was ready.

He whipped out his spare wand and bellowed, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

He watched with a sick satisfaction as the green light smacked Voldemort straight in the chest, sending him flying across the room.

He let out a laugh at the Death Eaters, who yelled and gathered around their master's fallen body, which had smacked into the wall, and lain in a heap.

But Voldemort stood again. Harry's laugh was taken right out of his mouth, and turned into a gasp of disbelief. Voldemort just took a Killing Curse straight in the stomach and stood up seconds after it hit. It was impossible. Harry just stood, unmoving, disbelieving.

"CRUCIO!"

Harry doubled over in pain, clutching the cold floor with his fingernails, yelling out in agony, and begging for death. This time, it was not just physical pain like white-hot knives piercing his skin. In addition to that, his blood boiled, burning him from the inside as well as the outside. His mind played images of the ones he loved, dead in bloody heaps. Harry felt as if he was going insane.

Voldemort lifted the curse after what seemed to be ages, and when Harry lifted his head again, he saw fuzzily Draco Malfoy urgently whispering to Voldemort.

Harry saw Voldemort nod and smile, and he knew something bad was about to happen.

He was right.

Coming in the chamber was a tall, stocky Death Eater clutching the limp body of Hermione Granger.

Harry regained his wits when he saw Hermione's unmoving body. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he blinked them away immediately. Pure, unfiltered hatred ran through his blood, stronger than ever before. He stood, even after thirty pain-filled minutes of torture, straight and proud, facing the invincible Dark Lord who had caused him so much pain. Green eyes shone with hatred.

"One day, I vow that you'll pay for all this you filthy bastard... you'll pay."

With that, Harry Potter did the impossible. He apparated to the limp form of a seventeen-year-old girl, picked her up, and disappeared from Riddle Mansion, in the nick of time as twenty green jets of light left a smoldering hole in the wall where two teenagers had just been half a second ago.

At Hogwarts School of Wizardry, a brilliant white light erupted, flying through the halls, filling everyone it hit with an indescribable feeling of loss and sadness.

"All members of staff, gather all the students into their common rooms, it's happened," said a now sobbing Minerva McGonagall in the cold staff room.


	14. Chapter 14

_Twilight_

_evabandmaber13_

sorry it's been a little while since I've updated well here are the next few chapters

Chapter Fourteen - Nightfall

_Albus Dumbledore had been in his office, channeling his magic into young Harry Potter, when he felt a strong surge of pain from the connection he had magically forged with the young wizard, followed by an overwhelming sense of urgency. _

_Dumbledore stood. _

_It was his time to go. He faced his beloved pet phoenix._

_"Goodbye, old friend. Please give my final letters to them."_

_Fawkes sung out a low note, and tears started flowing out of the phoenix's eyes. _

_Albus took one last moment to say goodbye to his world. A long life he had lived; filled with bliss and sadness. He had fought many evils, and assisted many people of the light._

_He had shared a love a long time ago, a love with a fellow student that had once been at Hogwarts with him. It was now it was time he left this plane of existence and returned to her to begin the next great adventure._

_Albus had taught many students, bonded with many people who grew to be great. Years of his long life had been well lived indeed. _

_He had been a bright child from birth, with a large family, brought up happily. He had entered Hogwarts at eleven, and amazed the best of the best with his awesome skill in charms and transfiguration. He had grown and graduated its halls, becoming an alchemist, working with a former Professor, Nicolas Flamel. He had then gone on to study dragon blood, and then became famous for discovering the twelve uses for it. He had then studied as an Auror, researching and practicing spells._

_Then came the first Dark Age. He had suffered along with everyone else, but eventually he defeated Grindelwald, with the help of a newfound companion, Fawkes the phoenix. _

_Peace had come, and Albus met his true love, and begun to teach at Hogwarts. It seemed like 'happily ever after' then._

_Until Tom Riddle, a former student, had become the second Dark Lord, and brought about a new age of darkness upon the world. _

_Then Riddle had killed her. His one true love._

_Albus swore that he'd never love again. He fought tirelessly against Riddle, thirsty for vengeance._

_At Riddle's first downfall at the hands of young Harry Potter, Albus allowed himself a life of happiness once more, reveling in the joys of watching young people grow, learn, and live. He lost the blinding rage that had propelled him to fight. In particular he watched Harry Potter, and felt indebted to the wizard who had given him another chance for happiness. He had done all he could to guide the growing wizard, and experienced pride beyond pride as the young child took on burdens most alive today could boast about, yet he had never lost his hold on humility. Years spent with his horrible relatives must've done him some good after all. Albus was proud of Harry, and dreaded the day that he would have to part with this student. _

_When he had risen again, two years ago. Albus was torn. He literally fell apart, although he never allowed this to be seen by anyone else._

_He vowed that he'd help young Potter defeat him again. He knew he himself would not be able to do it all himself. _

_He slowly, bit by bit placed magical power, gained from his long years of experience into the young wizard. One day, Albus tried to quicken this process, by adding large quantities of magical aura to Harry and his friends. He found that it crippled him enormously - he couldn't walk around for four days, even with the help of Severus Snape's potions, he could only barely manage to put in an appearance during breakfasts._

_Albus felt an even stronger sense of urgency from his connection with Harry. _

_Harry would need the extra strength now, all the strength that Albus could give him. Despite his weakened physical state, he still had a lot of magic left in him. Albus picked up his wand, and readied himself for the end. _

_Now he would make the ultimate sacrifice to help Harry in his moment of need, to save the only hope of the wizarding world. He raised his wand to his heart, and prepared to say the last words of his life._

_"Magicka Sacrificum," he whispered. _

_Albus Dumbledore collapsed as the entirety of his magic left his old body, and found a home in Harry Potter. _

_As the magic that had lengthened his life left him in a bright white light, Albus Dumbledore looked around his office one last time, fell into his chair, letting out a pained cry with the final breath of his long life that escaped his deflated lungs._

_He was not regretful for his own demise. After all, death was but the next great adventure. He was only remorseful for the fact that he wouldn't finish the adventure he had at hand._

"Oh god Hermione, don't be dead..."

Harry hoped with all of his being that she was merely stunned.

"Ennervate!"

Hermione's eyes slowly fluttered open, at which Harry yelled with laughter, and hugged her tightly.

"HERMIONE! Oh thank the gods..." Harry had tears of joy and relief welling up in his eyes.

"What happened, Harry? Where are we? Where's Ron and Ginny? Where's Malfoy? Where's Voldemort?"

"I'll tell you in a while... we're in Sirius' cave at Hogsmeade. Ron and Ginny... I have no idea... I'm sure at least Ginny got out... I apparated us out of Riddle Mansion... no idea how I did it but I did. Voldemort must've forgotten to place an anti-apparition charm or something..."

"But that's impossible... Malfoy said..."

"Malfoy?"

"He was guarding Ron and Ginny... and he said something to Goyle about telling Voldemort to 'recast the charms'... unless he didn't reach Voldemort?"

"He reached him alright... after the Cruciatus, I saw Malfoy whisper something to Voldemort... and then they dragged you in... I thought you were dead!" said Harry, messing up Hermione's hair as if it was her fault.

"Hmm..."

"No time to think, we still need to find Ron and Ginny. They're in Hogwarts, I think I can feel a weak link in the watches..."

"They were put under the full-body bind when I found them..."

Harry stopped and thought about it for a second. "What happened to Ginny's watch? Why didn't it deflect it?"

"I don't know, we'll ask her when we find them..."

"Well, we'll fly to Hogwarts, it's the fastest way."

"What? You stand in VOLDEMORT'S mansion, you get put under the most painful curse ever evented for thirty minutes, you're outnumbered about a MILLION to one, and you somehow get out with your Firebolt clutched in your hand, AND you somehow come and rescue me?" said Hermione skeptically, as if she expected Harry to turn into Voldemort at any second and yell 'April Fools'.

"Yeah... I wish we didn't lose the invisibility cloak though..."

Harry sobered. The invisibility cloak was one of the few things his father had left behind for him, a family heirloom.

"We didn't Harry. When... Never mind, I'll tell you when we get to Hogwarts. C'mon!"

Harry and Hermione then got on the Firebolt, but instead of heading to Hogwarts, Harry flew to Hogsmeade.

"We'll get you a broom, it'll be faster that way..."

"No, try using your portkey that Dumbledore gave you for Head Boy duties..."

"Oh yeah... forgot all about that," said Harry, grinning sheepishly.

"Activatio."

Sure enough, with a tug, Harry and Hermione found themselves in Hogwarts, standing in Dumbledore's office.

Harry turned around, and before the grin had died, he let out a horrible throaty gasp.

"No... no..."

"Shit, Hermione, get Pomfrey... or McGonagall... ANYONE! GO!" Harry roared.

He himself bent down over Dumbledore's motionless body, trying desperately to feel for a pulse. Fawkes swooped down and landed on Harry's shoulder.

He felt nothing. "Ennervate!"

No reaction from Dumbledore's cold, lifeless body.

"NO! ENNERVATE! REVIVITO!"

Still no response.

Harry began to pray out loud.

"Oh god, Hermione, where are you? Dammit, WAKE UP!"

"Ennervate..." Harry let out a hopeless whisper.

"No... he can't be..."

"Yes he is, Potter, and do you know why?" sneered Snape from the door.

How Snape managed to sneer in front of Albus Dumbledore's cold dead body, Harry would never know.

"Why..."

"Because of YOU. You've been sapping his power for nearly a _year _now..."

"SEVERUS!" shouted McGonagall from the office door, with Hermione in tow.

"Minerva," said Snape in a sickly sweet voice. "Potter, leave at once."

"Tell me what happened. I didn't _sap _his power... something happened to him... TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!"

"Get out, Potter."

"NO!"

"Fifty points from Gryffindor for disobeying a direct order from a teacher. Leave NOW or it will be a hundred, and detention for a month!"

"TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED, YOU..."

"Harry," said Professor McGonagall, before Snape could say anything else. "I believe you ought to sit down for this... Severus, please prepare Albus' coffin... he's had it made for months now..."

The two afternoons later, Harry walked in disbelief, after hearing McGonagall's long tale about Dumbledore sacrificing all his magic - not to mention his life - to get Harry the necessary energy he needed to Apparate out of Riddle Mansion. How Dumbledore had known all of this, Harry did not know, although Harry suspected that Dumbledore was very close to omniscience. Amazingly, McGonagall had also said that Dumbledore's magic now resided within _him_. But the fact remained. Albus Dumbledore was gone. Harry was temporarily joyous at seeing Ron and Ginny safe and well, but at the end of the night, all he could think of was how Albus Dumbledore sacrificed his life for him. Not JUST for him, he reminded himself, but for the future of the world. But just like that, and another one of the few important people in Harry's life were taken away from him by the scum Voldemort.

Yesterday morning, it was all over the papers. The 'official' cause of Dumbledore's death was of old age, but many less reliable newspapers stated a conspiracy to murder Albus Dumbledore, or that he had actually blown himself up by dropping a bottle of Firewhiskey in the fireplace, or things equally ridiculous. However, everyone mourned the death of the leader in the fight against the Death Eaters. His scheduled memorial service, although open only to the people who knew Albus Dumbledore well, was to be held two days from now. People would pay their respects to him during the time at work, and Cornelius Fudge announced a holiday, in remembrance of the great wizard in yesterday's post.

But it wasn't until this morning that the full consequence of Dumbledore's death was revealed. At post, in the eerily silent Great Hall, the swooping sounds of owls heralded the arrival of the post.

In the front page was an article that shocked everyone in Hogwarts. Everyone.

_Mass Killings by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named_

_It is with great difficulty that this reporter writes of the tragedy of the massive attacks led by You-Know-Who yesterday night. An estimated number of muggles, roughly five thousand were found dead in their homes with a lightning bolt cut across each one of their foreheads, much like the scar that the Boy-Who-Lived has. It is obvious that with the renowned Albus Dumbledore having passed on, You-Know-Who has set his eyes on the next target, young Harry Potter who brought about his death the first time they met. _

_Many small towns were pillaged and burnt, but the final attack, a massive rally of Death Eaters around Big Ben in London, proved to be the worst. Three thousand muggles were killed in the area at the time, and over a hundred wizards, who had tried nobly to stop the invading force, were also killed or tortured into insanity, and are currently being treated in St. Mungo's Hospital. _

_The final attack of that night was on the Big Ben itself. A monument for the muggle world, and an important entry point into the Ministry of Magic for the wizarding world, its fall proved to be devastating on both worlds. On the remnants of the broken clock, there was the word _Potter _wrote in blood._

_Muggles are mystified and in terror, and Minister Fudge plans on calling a state of emergency... Our readers hope that young Harry Potter, aged 17, has a good plan to replace the late Albus Dumbledore in holding back the tide._

Harry had stopped reading at that point. He ran to the nearest bathroom, and threw up his breakfast. He walked out of the bathroom, thinking he was all right, but all of a sudden he felt dizzy, and nearly collapsed on the floor, until he was wrapped up by a pair of warm arms, and drawn away from the toilet, and when he next regained consciousness, he found himself in a warm bed. Reaching for his glasses, he instead felt an arm on where his bedside table should've been.

He had then spent an hour pouring his soul out to Ginny, who listened and responded where appropriate, but mainly they just held each other. Harry had been glad that Ginny was there, for the rest of the day would not be pleasant.

Apart from another grueling potions lesson, Harry and Hermione now had a blank void where Dumbledore's classes should've filled. The two sat silently in their shared common room, Harry mulling over the events caused by Dumbledore's death, Hermione silently reading _Rare Magical Plants for Poisons and Antidotes_, not looking at or talking to Harry.

All of a sudden, Harry decided he had enough of just thinking. He had to do something, even if it was just to play exploding snap. He couldn't stand thinking about death any more, not to mention that Voldemort had killed five _thousand _people because he couldn't reach Harry where he was now.

"Accio Firebolt. Hermione, I'm going for a fly."

By the next week, Harry was thoroughly fed up. His dreams were filled with images of people dying because of him, and always ended with Voldemort drawing a wand on Ginny. Students up and down the halls avoided Harry, shot him scared glances, and some even shrieked when he stepped into the Great Hall, as if they expected Death Eaters to follow Harry and start killing them at random.

The truth was, Harry couldn't blame them. He seemed to be a magnet for trouble, and without Dumbledore there, security was _extremely _tight on Hogwarts. McGonagall had stood in as Headmistress, although she walked around like a zombie - clearly the wizard's death had affected her deeply.

Harry decided to cut himself away from the students at Hogwarts, his friends and teachers. He was just about to fly away one night, and buy a flat in Diagon Alley for himself to live and plan a counterattack against Voldemort - or so the plan was. He couldn't bring himself to separate himself from Ginny without at least saying goodbye. She had watched him carefully with her dark brown eyes for the last week, and Harry, despite his state of shock, felt it necessary to say goodbye to Ginny. He owed her at least an explanation.

When he had approached her though, she had none of it. She told him clearly it wasn't her fault, and if he left, there would be nothing to stop Voldemort from attacking Hogwarts again. He had only feared Dumbledore before, and he was growing scared of Harry as his next strongest opponent.

Harry felt it was a whole lot of rubbish, and stated so clearly, but when Ginny lost her patience, yelled at Harry for his stupid sense of nobility, said they were over until he could get his mind back to the way it should be, and stalked out of the room, he knew he couldn't leave Hogwarts whilst Ginny was mad at him. Should he have died knowing Ginny wasn't happy, with him or anyone else, he would've regretted it more than ever. He had spent a long night in the Marauder's room, not returning to his own room until lunch the next day.

That night, he had attended Dumbledore's memorial service at Hogwarts, and he saw why only friends were allowed at his funeral. Just friends alone, there were thousands attending his funeral - the Hogwarts grounds had to be enlarged for the day to fit so many people. It was the complete opposite of Remus Lupin's funeral, which had been nearly empty. Reporters stood outside the grounds, waiting to interview the 'privileged few which were allowed to attend such a heart touching event'. McGonagall had hexed several reporters until they would leave. Harry had many people walk up to him and wish him good luck, telling him that Dumbledore had had faith in him, and they in turn had faith in him too. Harry was struck with guilt, knowing that he was the reason why these people were miserable with their friend's death.

Right now, Harry walked along the corridors with Hermione after an advanced charms class, which was now taught by a Professor Orion, an Asian witch hired officially for Transfiguration classes that were now abandoned by Professor McGonagall who had taken up the position of Headmistress.

She was different from Dumbledore. Instead of the kind blue eyes sparkling at them, Harry and Hermione found a war-hardened coal black gaze staring calmly back in Professor McGonagall's old office. This Professor, as Ron would say, was a slave driver.

The first charms lesson she had with Harry and Hermione, she had hurled two stunning curses at them as they walked into the room, which Harry and Hermione only avoided because of the net that had shot out of Harry's watch.

"Constant Vigilance!" she had shouted.

With a knowing grin, Harry and Hermione knew that these lessons would not be easy.

From sending bullet curses to mending bones, Harry and Hermione had found themselves very busy indeed with Charms and Defence against the Dark Arts.

Harry was thankful for these classes - it kept his mind away from the constant attacks that were now reported daily in the Daily Prophet.

But the fact remained.

Dumbledore was gone.

Voldemort had no one to stop him.

Everyone was either expecting him to conquer Voldemort and all evil the next second or else they were expecting tornadoes, fire, and destruction to come wherever Harry stepped.

And the only problem with these classes was that Dumbledore wasn't the one to teach them it anymore. This made all the difference to Harry, as he knew it was his fault. Hermione, thankfully, was oblivious to this as Harry, nor Ginny had told her or Ron about Dumbledore channeling power into Harry.

Harry had received an envelope with a short letter of farewell from Dumbledore, and his wand enclosed. He had smiled a bittersweet smile, and looked to the heavens in thanks. Truthfully, Dumbledore's wand had matched Harry much better than he had thought - it worked almost as if it was his own wand. Dumbledore said in his letter that he wished for Harry to keep it as his own in remembrance.

Harry spent all of his time now with Hermione and Ron, completely avoiding Ginny besides nods at mealtimes and brief 'Goodnight's at nighttime. Word spread through the school like wildfire, and Harry noticed, much to his dislike, that many of the boys who had wanted to ask Ginny to the Halloween Ball practically leaped on her. Ron had stood by Harry in this ordeal - he had gave withering stares at any male who dared go within five meters of Ginny, he talked to Ginny for Harry's sake - although without much success - and he had eventually gone to the extent of ignoring Ginny whenever she was with another boy other than Harry or himself. Hermione had, of course, maintained her usual righteous pose, supporting both Harry and Ginny, and acting as a liaison between them.

Right now, Harry saw Ginny laughing and batting at a short, sandy haired sixth year, who was grinning back at her stupidly. Harry stopped in his tracks, leaving Hermione, who was still talking about self-polishing wands at the top of her voice, walking alone along the corridor, unaware that her friend had frozen in place.

The sandy-haired boy slung his arm around Ginny's shoulders, and Harry snapped with jealousy. He was about to whip out his wand and hex the ignorant prat that DARED touch HIS girl, but he found that Fortuna, his mysticat, had done a job for him. Fortuna jumped out of his bag, ran to the boy, and scratched him twice, and bit him once, leaving bloody gashes across the boy's cheeks, and a rather nasty bite on the nose.

Harry heard Ginny grab Fortuna around the middle, and admonish, "Fortuna!"

Harry couldn't help but smile. He picked up Fortuna who was squirming away from Ginny's arms, nodded a rather cold nod to Ginny, shot the bleeding boy a withering glare, and ran to catch up with Hermione, Fortuna on his shoulder. He didn't even give Ginny or the boy a chance to moan about his cat. It was funny that Fortuna didn't scratch Ginny - Harry supposed that Fortuna loved Ginny like he did, despite his anger.

"That's my mysticat, Fortuna!" Harry smiled at his beautiful kitten, stroking him gently. Fortuna purred with happiness.

"Oh Harry, what did he do?"

"Scratched little mouse-boy back there in the face for me!"

"What? Ginny's friend?"

Harry nodded slowly. "Clever little cat must know which people are pure scum..."

"Now Harry, I don't think that's fair. I think you should go apologize for Fortuna's behavior..."

"What? ME? APOLOGIZE? To the little creep who's slinking his arm over MY girl? You must be out of your mind!" Harry muttered.

"What's whacking your bludgers now, Harry?" said Ron, who had just come out of his Charms class, and caught up to Harry and Hermione, who were walking down to Care of Magical Creatures to meet Hagrid to discuss their pets. Ron's and Hermione's eggs had just hatched three days ago, and just yesterday, respectively. Ron's was a curious hamster like creature that Crookshanks delighted in chasing about. Ron had grown rather uneasy at the point when Crookshanks leaped at his newly hatched creature, and swatted Crookshanks in the face, leaving the cat spitting furiously at him, and Hermione slapping him.

Hermione's egg had hatched into a rather ugly little leathery creature with large blue eyes, and scaly skin. Harry had tried speaking Parseltongue to the creature, with no success.

Hermione had spent hours in the library looking for an answer, also with no success.

Ron had just laughed at it, and got a bitten arm in return. It appeared that Ron had gotten the most information - they now knew that it had poisonous fangs.

Hermione had no sympathy for Ron, and they got into another row - whilst Harry had to drag Ron to get the bite checked on - it had swelled purple already at that point.

It turned out it was a rather funny poison - giving the victim a squeaky voice for a day after the bite - and more importantly, there wasn't a cure, until it healed naturally.

Ron suffered embarrassment as he made a long speech at the prefects' meeting in a squeaky, house-elf voice.

Harry himself was curious to find out what this critter was, as they knocked at Hagrid's door.

"Hang on a sec'n'..." hollered Hagrid from the door. They heard Fang's familiar bark, and Hagrid opened the door.

"Oh its you three... though' you mighta forgot all 'bout me! You haven' been to see me for a month!"

"Hi Hagrid!" Ron, Hermione and Harry said, and smiled fondly at their half-giant friend.

"C'mon in, c'mon in... tea? Some rock cakes?" waved Hagrid at shapeless lumps placed on the table.

Fang jumped at Ron and slobbered all over his face.

"Thank you, Hagrid," said Hermione. "I was wondering, could you tell me what this creature is? It hatched just yesterday and I can't find any reference in the books..."

"Oh righ' 'ermione... that there is a crownfish. Mainly water creatures... I'm surprised its managed to stay alive for a DAY without any water... you should toss it into the sink or somefin... babies usually only stay alive for a day out of water... o' course adults can last roundabout a week er so..."

Hermione let out a shriek and ran to the sink, bathing her crownfish in the sink full of water.

Letting out a sigh of relief, she said, "Thanks Hagrid."

Hagrid had laughed at Ron's whispered comment to him.

"What did you say, Ron?" asked Hermione curiously.

"Oh nothing."

"Hagrid? What did Ron say?"

"Oh... nuthin important," said Hagrid with a smile.

"Harry?"

"Don't ask me, I just went temporarily deaf back then..." Harry smiled at that. He remembered how Dumbledore had once done the same in his fourth year.

"Oh you three are hopeless. I'm going to put little Queenie in a fishtank or something..."

"Queenie?" roared Ron in laughter.

Hermione let out a loud, "Hmph!" and walked out of Hagrid's hut.

"You know, she didn't even..."

Hermione stomped back in, grabbed the fish from the sink, and with a simple goodbye to Hagrid, she walked away.

The three men laughed their hearts out.

When Ron and Harry were leaving, Hagrid pulled Harry back.

"It's okay, Ron, go first, I'll catch up with you..."

"You all righ' there Harry? I've heard bout you n little Ginny Weasley..."

A mask of indifference flew up to Harry's face. "Oh?"

"Yeah... bin watchin her sometimes late at night... sneaks up to the Quidditch pitch and dives 'round... kinda like you I thought..."

"Well..."

"Wha' I wanna say is whatever it is that's gone on with you n her... fix it n fix it quick... she's a pretty one, no doubt about it... and I could see that you do love her... something like your mother and father, if I may say so meself! Wonderful little girl you have in Ginny Weasley, charming and nice, perfect for you... but what exactly has happened between you two? Why have you broken up?"

"It's not my fault this time... you see..."

Harry launched into a heartfelt explanation about his problems with Ginny, and how he had managed to make her mad, and in turn how mad he was at seeing idiot sixth years flirting with her all day.

"Alrigh' Harry... the question is, do you still want her in your life?"

"Of course I do... she's _Ginny_. There's no one else better than her... but I'm NOT apologizing or anything, its not my fault! I meant every word I said!"

"You may say that now, but a time may come when its too late to swallow yer words. You may regret it one day, 'Arry... if you get the chance to make things up with little Ginny Weasley, you better well take it... don't let pride get in yer way... if the chance comes, you better well take it... or you may just end up regretting it for the rest of your life."

Harry saw a strange, pained look in Hagrid's eyes, as if he was advising Harry on his own bad experiences.

"If the chance comes... you better well take it..."


	15. Chapter 15

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Fifteen - In the Serpent's Mind

Tom Marvolo Riddle stood in his cold, empty house, alone, his followers out striking the Eiffel Tower in Paris. He had just a couple of house-elves and Wormtail in his house to serve on him.

He was exhilarated. Two weeks ago, little half-blood Potter had cast the killing curse on him. He smashed against the wall, writhing in agony, but in five tortured seconds, it was over, and he was alive.

He had done the impossible. He reached immortality.

And a day after Potter and his mudblood brat escaped from his clutches, angry as he was he couldn't hide his glee at finally achieving his dream. He was immortal. He was as powerful as God - and probably even stronger than him.

What sweetened the day even more was the death of Albus Dumbledore. Despite what he may act like in front of everyone else, Albus Dumbledore truly was a wizard that he had once feared - he had seen through him at school, and had been the greatest opposing force in his first reign in power. He had almost defeated him once near the start of his reign, stripping him of almost all of his powers. It took long years to rebuild and add to his powers, and when he resurfaced, all that was left of Tom Riddle were the memories.

He had celebrated the day by announcing his next target in the plainest way possible. Gathering all of his forces, he terrorized England.

Since then, things had gone all uphill for Lord Voldemort.

He had recovered the Veil of Death from the Ministry of Magic.

He had captured Minister Fudge and placed a loyal Death Eater in his position using Polyjuice Potion.

He had Viktor Krum in his prisons, torturing him for information on the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, the last competent force that stood in his way - no... his Death Eaters' way. He himself had no opposition.

He was immortal.

But most significantly, he had just captured a Weasley. From what Draco Malfoy had informed him of, this family was the closest thing Potter had to a family. He would be sure to keep this Weasley as blackmail material in the future.

He waited alone in his throne room, looking upon the dishes of the finest French food and wine the house-elves could make.

He drank his wine, and decided it was time to prepare a massive attack, one that would make Grindelwald jealous.

He decided, with Dumbledore out of the way, he'd strike at Hogwarts.

After all, Potter couldn't stop him - he was still a boy. Better to press the advantage now before he truly reached manhood. But what was he thinking about? No one could stop him now.

He was IMMORTAL! His life goal had been achieved - now what he needed to do was proceed to his second goal in life. The noble work that was needed to rid the world of impurities, and re-establish the meaning of pureblood in the world.

After all, muggles were scum. All of them. Just like his father.

They deserved it, he thought. They were just unthankful little beasts... parasites, scavengers. Why they existed in the first place, multiplying like rats he would never know.

What he did know was he would be the one to purge the world of these muggles.

It was his vision - a society of purebloods, some mudbloods kept as slaves, and he would be the master of this society. He was born to rule. Born to be great... he was their sole heir of Salazar Slytherin. When the filthy muggle blood that had left his veins, so did the ability to sympathize.

Emotion was a weakness, and Lord Voldemort would allow himself no weakness, unlike those disgusting little 'good' wizards who prided themselves for taking a stand against 'evil'.

There was no such thing as good or evil, just power and those who were too weak to seek it, as he had told young Harry Potter before he had become irrevocably stuck on to the 'good' side.

How dare he refuse the Heir of Slytherin? The little half-blood had also escaped from him many times by now, luck had always seemed to side with the brat. He would not escape the next time they met. The fool had even dared to challenge him in front of his own Death Eaters... amazing guts the boy did have, but had very little, if any, brains in his skull.

Rage took Lord Voldemort, and he decided that he would take it out on the disgusting Muggle-loving Albus Dumbledore's fort.

Poring over his plans, Tom Riddle let out a savage smile. "Careful, Potter. I'm coming to get you."

He summoned Wormtail with a wave of his wand.

Wormtail appeared by his side, slightly wincing with pain - Voldemort knew better than anyone else that the summoning of his servants caused them much pain. They deserved it, he thought. Pain made one strong, it killed off the emotion of love, a useless feeling that cut off a man's better sense.

Tom Riddle had ceased to love from the moment he was born. He had seen 'true love' in his lifetime, but he could never understand it. Perfectly powerful wizards throwing their lives out for the sake of Mudblood witches... it was unthinkable.

"Wormtail. Come here."

The short little man stumbled over in his anxiousness to serve his master.

Voldemort pulled up Wormtail's sleeve, and stroked the Dark Mark on his arm.

Wormtail bit his lip, hiding his pain. But Lord Voldemort knew everything going on in the minds of his followers. Wormtail was unhappy, scared. He knew that Wormtail's loyalty was already fading, and was now only staying with him because he was the strong one in the war. He had no choice.

This, instead of bothering him, made him smile in delight.

Lord Voldemort loved the thought of hierarchy. The strongest rule, the weakest serve. Because everyone knew, he was indeed the strongest.

It was his responsibility to try and help his loyal followers attain a level of strength too. Torture and fear was needed to be strong. His own childhood was a difficult one, living life knowing that disgusting muggle filth had plagued his very own blood. It was not until he had grown older did he find a way to filter and destroy the muggle blood within him, and only then did he truly become Lord Voldemort. Yes fear and suffering was important indeed.

It was the training that everyone needed to become strong.

Death Eaters began apparating to his side, and kneeling down before him. He knew that most of the Death Eaters were either in awe of him and were afraid, or they were just thirsty for a bit of power. Only a few were truly loyal to him.

When they had all arrived, Lord Voldemort stood.

"I believe, my dear Death Eaters, after a series of minor attacks, including your attack on the Eiffel Tower, which I'm sure has succeeded, it is time for a full-scale attack."

No Death Eater spoke up. None of them were stupid enough to interrupt their Lord in a speech as important as this one.

"What say you all to destroying the safe haven of my first reign? How about we destroy Dumbledore's safehouse and rip apart his corpse? How about we show the world that Harry Potter isn't the all-powerful hero? HOW ABOUT WE SET ABOUT OUR GREATEST GOAL? TO RID THE WORLD OF MUDBLOODS AND MUGGLES!" he shouted.

Death Eaters cheered, clapped, and stomped their feet.

"Then it is settled, my loyal servants. We strike in thirteen days."

It was a curious thing, the veil of Death. Lord Voldemort heard more than anyone else what was behind it - or rather what was in it.

There were voices of people, people banging on steel walls with bare fists to get out. They were struggling people, both good and bad.

It was a phenomenon. For these people were not yet dead, but trapped in another dimension. How this veil managed to do so was amazing. He could, invent a spell that would do the same. It would be a better punishment than death, a meaningless existence, trapped on another plane of existence, forsaken by your very friends to be dead.

Yes, that would be torture, worse than any pain for a wizard of the light, to see what no one can see, but also to find no purpose in living, no joys, no happiness.

Lord Voldemort smiled a sneer like smile of delight, imagining the good wizards that had fallen into the veil.

It was settled. He'd work to develop a spell to mirror the Veil's effects.

It would be the fate for young Potter.

But first, he would have to study this magical veil, and see just how it worked, and how to reverse the effects, if possible at all.

He would need some experiments, and some guinea pigs to work with.

"Wormtail, fetch me Viktor Krum."

"You, Krum, have the honor of assisting me in my experiments since you so unwittingly defied me in giving me information..."

Viktor Krum, his face gaunt, his eyes sunken, slumping over pathetically, spat at Voldemort's feet.

"Crucio."

As Krum twitched on the floor, biting his lip to not allow a scream to escape, Voldemort said, "Now let's try that again, now, why don't we..."

"Imperio!"

"Stand up, filthy Bulgarian."

Krum stood.

"Put your hand into the veil."

Krum moved slowly, his face muscle twitching violently for just a second. He walked slowly up to the veil.

Voldemort felt the internal battle going on in Krum's mind.

He stuck his hand into the gently swaying Veil silently.

"Take your hand out."

As Krum took his right hand out from the veil, he let out a savage shriek.

The hand was gone, and all that was left was a stump.

Voldemort looked upon this with a smile.

"Now, put half of your head in and observe what you see."

Krum now visibly shook on the outside, Voldemort sensed the imperius curse weakening.

"DO IT NOW!"

Krum did as he was told.

"Now... take your head out."

He was monsterous.

Disgusting.

Unreal.

It was impossible to live the way Viktor Krum was standing, half his brain amputated.

"What did you see?"

Krum's dying word was, "Black..."

He fell to the floor, dead. Without any blood, Lord Voldemort found himself staring at half a human head and the rest of the body with a right hand missing.

"Mobilicorpus."

Krum's body was floating in the air lightly.

Voldemort directed it into the veil slowly, watching how the veil liquefied and absorbed the body.

Indeed it looked painful.

The experiment was pretty much successful; Lord Voldemort knew what he really needed to know.

But what did Krum mean by 'black'? Surely the next dimension wouldn't be as dull as a blank black world would it?

However, there was no time to ponder on this, work needed to be done.

Voldemort summoned a rarely used Dark Arts book, dusted it off, and began his research to create the spell to banish people into the separate plane.

"Report, Malfoy, on your father's condition."

"Yes, my lord. My father is currently recovering rapidly, he is quickly learning to use a wand now... however all the spells he once knew he forgot, but if mother teaches him a spell, it comes naturally to him - it must be in his blood."

"Does he remember anything of the world?"

"No, my lord."

"When will he be ready to resume service?"

"I'm not sure, master. He may be developing rapidly, but he is still just a baby in mind... I'd say a couple of years at the earliest until he is able to serve again."

"We have no use for him then. Withdraw your mother from this tiresome task. I need all the Death Eaters I can get on board for the attack on Hogwarts. Even with Dumbledore out of the way, Hogwarts is still very safe for them..."

"But master, what of my father?"

"See if he regains any memory if we leave him alone to die."

"But..."

"CRUCIO! HOW DARE YOU QUESTION ME?"

Draco Malfoy writhed on the floor, yelling out in agony. The shrieks of pain were like music to Voldemort's ears.

"Well? Any _objections_?" sneered Voldemort.

"No, master..." stuttered Draco Malfoy and ran as fast as his pained legs could carry him out of the room.

Voldemort smiled, drinking another glass of the finest red wine in France to a victory at Hogwarts. Little Malfoy was lucky that he felt very forgiving right now.

"WORMTAIL!" he bellowed.

"Yes... yes... yes master?"

"Call all our overseas followers. This will be a full-scale attack. This time, Hogwarts will bow to our power."

Voldemort had gathered all of the petty underground criminal organizations he could find also. Quantity in this battle would most surely be more important than quality.

He, Lord Voldemort, would wipe out the safe haven for mudbloods that the old fool had protected for so long.

Thirst for vengeance was built up in Lord Voldemort. All those pathetic students, whose blood was tainted with the muggle filth like that pathetic excuse for a human his father was, would be killed. Captured, tortured, and killed.

He let out a long evil laugh.

It was seven days until the scheduled day of the attack.

"Now, Avery, and Dolohov. I have a task for you two under the polyjuice potions. I trust you are ready?"

"Yes master."

"Good. Dolohov, as Fudge, I want you to call an emergency Auror attack on Hogwarts - Minerva McGonagall is a traitor to them, she has been passing me information. That is your excuse, if you really need one. Hopefully, your emergency powers as the Minister should allow you to call this attack without specifying a reason?"

"Yes my lord, I believe the Minister's word is sufficient enough to call a strike force into action," said Dolohov rather sarcastically for Lord Voldemort's liking.

"That will be our... first wave of attackers. No doubt Hogwarts defences will not fall to them, but it cuts off their extra support. Use the Aurors to set up anti apparition and portkey spells, and to blast open the main door, and then send them into the forest, where our troops will be waiting. We kill them then and there, to cripple the ministry, and to destroy Hogwarts in one day. Think of it as two birds with one stone."

"Avery, as Viktor Krum I want you to infiltrate Hogwarts. Sources state that he is a member of Dumbledore's Order... an overseas spy. They will trust him. Take your position within Hogwarts. When I give the signal - an explosion of the gamekeeper's hut, I want you to draw your wand and eliminate Severus Snape. He is one of the few competent teachers left in the school that could really cause us some problems. If possible, I want you to find and kill the Headmistress McGonagall and the auror Mad-eye Moody also. I hear of a new teacher employed by McGonagall... should she look dangerous, and should your cover still be intact, end her life as well."

"Yes master."

"When the battle starts, if your cover is not yet blown, I want you to discreetly attack whatever defences Hogwarts has left from within their own ranks."

"Understood?"

"Yes, master."

"Oh... and leave Potter to me."

Yes, everything was going well. He could almost feel his fingers crushing Potter's skull, and the shrieks of his friends and worshipers, watching their last hope being crushed like a bug.

All was blissful for Lord Voldemort. He had now finished the spell to banish Potter's soul into the separate plane of existence. But he wouldn't use it until he had broken Potter's body, mind, and soul. Vengeance would be ever so sweet.

It was a day before the attack.

He shuddered in anticipation.

Everything was perfect. His forces were thousands strong, he had Dolohov and Avery positioned already, he had finished the banishing spell to send Potter into the seventh dimension. Morale was high indeed. Tonight, Hogwarts would meet its end, and the _hero _of the wizarding world would fall with it. He trembled with delight.

"Master, we're ready," reported Draco Malfoy.

Voldemort took a while to survey his forces assembled inside the magically enlarged Riddle Mansion.

Five hundred strong attack trolls, his fifty loyal Death Eaters, eight thousand dark wizards, about four thousand criminals he had amassed, and all that was left of the Dementors in the whole of Britain and Europe.

"Excellent. On my order, we move out. Hogwarts shall fall."

Trolls stomped, humans stomped and clapped, criminals hooted and bellowed, and dementors let out rattle-like hisses.

"Onwards, we go, loyal forces!"

Wizards that could apparate did so, Trolls and Dementors were sent by custom made portkeys, other wizards that couldn't apparate flooed or portkeyed. He himself apparated right in the middle of a pub in Hogsmeade. He remembered this particular pub as one he visited often during his time at Hogwarts.

All memories. It was a sign of weakness. Weakness was not for Lord Voldemort.

"Maximus Reducto!" he bellowed, blowing the pub into pieces.

"LORD VOLDEMORT HAS ARRIVED!"

For any onlooker, it would've been a terrible scene.

Wizards could be seen all around sent spells flying about Hogsmeade, ripping apart the beautiful little village. Trolls blundered about, smashing cottages into sawdust, Dementors glided everywhere, performing the Kiss on anyone who was foolish enough to still be in the area.

But most horrible of all was the pale, white face and the glowing red eyes of Lord Voldemort, who's very presence struck fear into the very soul of everything in a mile's radius from him.

Every last wizard, witch and child who saw this massive army knew exactly what, or rather who it was looking for.

The Boy-who-Lived.

Every single one of them prayed for his soul, and theirs. Darkness had already began to fall.


	16. Chapter 16

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

i love this chapter

Chapter Sixteen - Fortress Crushed

Harry wasn't having a good day at all.

After a double session with Orion, he and Hermione were utterly exhausted.

The fact that Ginny was giving him the cold shoulder made days worse and worse, until he really considered Hagrid's advice.

When he saw Ron and Ginny joking around on the way down to the hall behind them, he stood there and waited.

"You go on ahead, Hermione... Ron will be there with you in a sec... I need a word with Ginny."

Hermione nodded with understanding in her gaze and left him.

"And believe it or not, the prat actually asked me out on a date!"

Ron and Ginny held on to each other in their laughter, until they saw the dark-haired Harry Potter standing in their path.

Ginny's beautiful smile on her face was immediately snapped into an uncaring, expressionless look, as she nodded at Harry and made to move past him.

"Ginny... I need a word please..."

"I'm not sure I want to hear a word from you..."

Inwardly, he thought to himself, 'since when did little Ginny Weasley who used to have a crush on me turn into a stone-cold beautiful girl that could make me do anything for her?'

Outwardly, he said, "Please Gin..."

The miserable tone in his voice had made Ginny drop her 'Ice Queen' act.

"Ron, do you mind?" she said.

Ron nodded curtly, and walked to the Great Hall alone.

"Look, Ginny... I'm sorry I made you angry after you told me not to do the whole 'it's my fault' thing... it was just the situation, it ate me up with guilt... and when you started to... I just..."

"Oh Harry... you know I never meant to hurt you... I just couldn't stand you hurting yourself... it really isn't your fault, it's Voldemort... he's an evil bastard... none of it's your fault... but you know, I just can't stand watching my boyfriend blame himself for something he fought so hard against... I think that..."

What Ginny thought, Harry never found out, for a massive BOOM was heard throughout Hogwarts.

Moody's voice was heard magically ringing through the halls. "STUDENTS RETURN TO DORMS IMMEDIATELY, SCHOOL IS UNDER ATTACK!"

Everyone in the halls started shrieking and flapping their arms around stupidly, running without orientation, like a bunch of headless chickens. Harry was sure he heard a person actually squawk.

"I'm going out..."

"NO HARRY!"

"Its obvious he's out after me... so I'll go... and save everyone from getting hurt... or worse."

"It's your responsibility as Head Boy to help Gryffindors back into the tower! NOW C'MON!"

It was utter chaos as prefects herded their students away to their common rooms, everyone screaming madly.

Some of the students, quite stupidly ran out of the front doors, and straight into Voldemort's army.

Harry watched as Professors McGonagall, Orion, Snape, Moody, Sprout, and Flitwick flew out of the doors, sending curses as they went, but was alarmed at the sight of Quidditch star Viktor Krum tailing them.

"Wait... something isn't right..." said Ginny at his shoulder. "Viktor was captured by Voldemort... he can't have escaped, its nearly impossible..."

Harry snapped around, immediately remembering how Voldemort had sneaked a Death Eater into Hogwarts once before under Polyjuice potion. He might've just done it again.

What happened next was in slow motion. Krum, who had drawn his wand, but pointed it at Snape, started yelling something to Harry's horror.

"NO! EXPELLIARMUS!" he cried. It was the first dueling spell he had ever learnt, it was his first instinct to go with it.

The jet of red light flew remarkably fast towards Krum, smacking into him before he had even finished the incantation, but his wand glowed an eerie green as it flew to Harry.

He didn't catch it.

Krum had snapped around and stared Harry straight in the eye.

Harry stared straight back and felt something. The man was hiding something.

"Death Eater."

"What are you talking about? I'm Viktor Krum, don't you remember..."

"STUPEFY!" shouted Harry.

'Krum' fell into a heap.

"RITORNO!" Harry shouted.

"WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, POTTER?" shouted McGonagall who had turned to see Harry sending a spell towards Krum, which hit him flat.

"Death Eater... Polyjuice... trust me..."

Sure enough, 'Krum' had fallen backwards and turned into a sneering Death Eater, still stunned.

"GET BACK TO YOUR DORMITORY!"

"But I can help!"

"NOW!"

Harry grabbed Ginny and fled. Had he been alone he certainly would've joined the fray, but there was no way on Earth he would let Ginny be hurt now that he had just fixed things up with her.

They had just reached the portrait hole when sounds of metal being dropped against the ground were heard.

"Beauty Rest!"

"Yes indeed, Mr. Potter..." said the portrait, and opened.

"C'mon get in, Ginny..."

She jumped nimbly into the room, and he followed after her, and closed the portrait in after him.

"What on Earth are we going to do? Just SIT here?" Harry cried as soon as he entered.

"What else _can _we do?"

"We're members of the Order... we should be out there fighting... speaking of fighting why is it only a few teachers fighting God knows how many wizards Voldemort has?"

"It's not, Mr. Potter," said McGonagall's stern voice. "We've prepared Hogwarts for a time like this... Hogwarts is on lockdown."

The old witch climbed in through the portrait hole and took a seat on the empty sofa, letting out a sigh.

"What's lockdown?"

"We're a fortress now... there is no safer place on Earth."

"BUT WHAT ABOUT VOLDEMORT?"

"Come and see..." McGonagall rose. Apparently she did think Hogwarts was safe now, or else she would never lead students out.

Harry and Ginny followed McGonagall to the Great Hall, where Harry found all the windows closed and blocked with a layer of steel.

"But that's just METAL! Voldemort can break through it!"

"Not just any metal... these are magically enhanced defences built in Godric Gryffindor's day... nothing will penetrate it... nothing can get in or out."

"But what about the people outside?" questioned Harry.

"They..." sighed McGonagall.

"No! You didn't!" exclaimed Ginny.

"HAGRID! NO! I'M GOING OUT!"

"It's too late, Harry... I saw them take him... him and all of the second year Gryffindors and Slytherins..."

"AND YOU LOCKED THEM OUT? Are you MAD?"

"Harry, you must understand, there was nothing we could do to... It was for the greater good... should one sacrifice everyone, or a few?"

By now, Harry had already walked out.

"Come back here Mr. Potter!"

"Or what? You'll take points from me? Give me a detention? Ban me from playing Quidditch? Revoke my Head Boy status? Confiscate my broom? Screw that, I'm finding Hagrid."

"I'm coming with you," said Ginny, leaping up after him.

"No Ginny, you're too..."

"Young? No I'm not, I'm just a few months younger than you. I don't care what the world thinks of you, Boy-who-Lived or not, you're my boyfriend, you're my friend, but you're not my boss. I'm coming with you."

McGonagall sighed.

"Stupefy!'

Harry and Ginny awoke on the couch of the Head Boy and Girl common room.

"My sister was snuggling with my best friend. Eww," said Ron in a childish voice.

Harry let out a laugh, despite himself.

Hermione smacked Ron, a smile curling up on her face.

Ginny smiled, and cuddled up closer to Harry, still with her eyes closed.

"Wait... we were going to rescue Hagrid... why are we..." started Ginny, who had all of a sudden snapped out of her daze, bringing Harry violently back to reality also.

"Damn! McGonagall!"

"I'm going! You three stay here!"

Without waiting for a response, Harry ran towards the portrait hole, tried to budge it open, but it stuck firmly on.

"Dammit! She even locked us in? What are we, animals?"

Ron mumbled something under his breath, and Hermione and Ginny giggled.

"HOW CAN YOU THREE BE DOING THIS WHEN HAGRID IS PROBABLY BEING TORTURED BY VOLDEMORT?"

The laughter died from Ron, Hermione, and Ginny's faces, leaving Harry feeling very guilty indeed.

"Sorry... I know there's nothing you three can do..."

"Oh yeah, and there's something you can?" challenged Ron and Ginny at the same time.

"Yeah... Voldemort wants me, not any of you," he started.

"HARRY! We just HAD a conversation about this!" cried Ginny.

"Yeah... you're right... you're right..."

"We're no good to no one just sitting here are we?"

"Correct, Miss Granger, how observant of you," sneered Ron.

"How do we unlock the portrait hole?"

"We don't."

"Are you seriously suggesting we just SIT here?"

"No, of course not. I'm suggesting we make a portkey - its what I've been reading about for the past hour you and Ginny were snuggling about on the couch..."

Harry shot Hermione a mean look, then said, "Well, what are you waiting for? Make one to Hagrid's hut!"

"All right, all right..."

Hermione stood and grabbed a quill from her desk.

"Portus!" she cried, with a look of supreme concentration on her face.

The quill glowed a greenish color, and trembled for a moment, then dropped to the floor.

"Well... I think it worked..."

"Let's go then!"

Harry grabbed the portkey, with Ginny's hand beside his, Ron and Hermione barely fitting a finger on the small quill.

Nothing happened.

"Urgh... Hermione you did it wrong!"

"That's impossible... I followed every step!"

"Give it to me, and tell me what to do."

"_Honestly_! Fine! Think of your destination very clearly, and say clearly, the incantation Portus!"

"Mmm... okay... PORTUS!"

This time, the quill glowed blue, and quivered violently before settling on the floor again.

"Accio quill!"

Harry grabbed the quill, and flashed his friends a cheeky smile as he expected to be pulled away to Hagrid's hut.

Nothing came.

"Damn!" Harry turned red.

"You tried to pull a fast one on us, Potter!" growled Ron, pushing Harry in the chest, causing him to flip over the sofa and land painfully on his shoulder, his glasses flying off.

"RON!" beseeched Hermione.

"Harry!" she added as an afterthought.

Ginny, however, pulled Harry up and grabbed him by his arms. "Don't try anything like that again... if you had actually got a portkey working, I would've killed you for leaving us!"

"I'm sure it worked... when Dumbledore did them, they looked exactly the same..."

"Anti-portkey charms!" cried Hermione.

"Stupid! STUPID!"

Harry grabbed a handful of floo powder, Ginny still pulling on his arms.

"MINERVA MCGONAGALL!" he hollered into the flames.

McGonagall's strict face appeared in the fire, smiling at them.

"Why did you lock us up?" yelled Harry, before Ron, Hermione, or Ginny could stop him.

"Why... because you'd run out of the school and break down our fortress defences of course... if a student left than the defences would be taken down for ten minutes... Voldemort could infiltrate the..."

"Are you _HONESTLY _telling me that you're leaving Hagrid and twenty students out there to die?"

"They're... they're already..."

Harry slumped down, covering his face.

"Dead...?" he let out a strangled gasp.

"I'm afraid so..."

"NO!"

In one swift motion, Harry grabbed another handful of floo powder, threw it in the spot McGonagall's head had been, and stepped straight into the fire.

"HAGRID'S HUT!"

A twirling sensation started, but Harry found himself forced out of the same fireplace that he had come in from.

"WHY?" he cried.

Harry collapsed.

It could not be... Hagrid, the last adult in his life, dead? It was impossible! Preposterous! McGonagall must be lying!

Hagrid was the first wizard he had ever met.

Hagrid had taken him away from the Dursleys.

Hagrid had shown him the wonderful Diagon Alley.

Hagrid had given him his first pet, his first true companion.

Hagrid had always been there for him in his little hut with rock-hard rock cakes and tea.

He was jerked out of his thoughts abruptly by a loud explosion.

"They're breaking the wards," Hermione whispered, her voice sounding frightened.

More explosions could be heard.

The wards still held.

Hogwarts, in all of its glory, was now surviving only on thousand-year-old charms from foes recklessly hammering against its walls.

In the last two days, students had stayed cooped up in their common rooms, being served on by house-elves. Harry sat brooding all day, not talking to Hermione, Ron or Ginny.

Giving up on engaging Harry in conversation, the three had taken to playing games, and trying to joke light-heartedly, to no avail.

The atmosphere was tense, with explosions being heard every few minutes.

On the third afternoon after Voldemort's first strike, things started to fall apart.

"STUDENTS OF HOGWARTS!" came McGonagall's voice magically magnified.

"PREPARE TO EVACUATE! Take ONLY what you need!"

Those three words caused a very nasty feeling in Harry's body.

How on earth the teachers were going to evacuate hundreds of students?

Harry's mind didn't have an answer.

Why did McGonagall trust so much in Hogwarts' defences? She should've evacuated students far earlier!

Explosions were now more frequent and louder.

Hogwarts' defences were failing. Time was running short.

The four friends grabbed their essentials and valuables, and prepared to run down to the Great Hall.

"Students! Gather around, gather around!"

"FIRST YEARS, GO WITH PROFESSOR MORTON! You will be using floo powder to evacuate!"

"Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Years! You will go with Professor Jenkins! You will be using portkeys to evacuate!"

"Sixth and Seventh Years! You may stay and fight if you wish, or you may either fly by broomstick, take a portkey, or use secret passages, guided by Mr. Filch across the school to get to Hogsmeade, where Professor Sprout is waiting for you with the Knight Bus!"

"On my call..."

A tremendous explosion was heard.

Students heard, with the impending feeling of doom, the cracking of wood. Voldemort's dark forces had broken in.

"GO! NOW!"

Harry ran to hold off Voldemort's forces.

He was the first one there, Fortuna on his shoulder.

Unfortunately, before he fired a curse off, he saw that Voldemort and his supporters had their wands pressed to the heads of the second years and Hagrid.

They were alive.

"One more move, Potter, and all of them die."

Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Neville, Justin, Ernie, Terry, and Blaise Zabini gathered behind him, and around his sides. About ten other sixth years that Harry did not know were mingled amongst the crowd. Professors Snape, Orion, McGonagall, Vector, Trelawney (much to Harry's numb surprise), Flitwick, and Moody flanked the sides of the students.

"Foolish, Potter. Foolish indeed. See you not the thousands of forces I have at my disposal?"

"You won't win," spat Harry.

His brave sounding words reflected nothing of his inner thoughts, and every last person standing with him knew it. He knew that they stood absolutely no chance against this massive force, and they were only biding their time, hoping that the other students would get away in time.

"Drop your wand, Potter, or I'll kill them off one by one."

He bent slowly down, and placed his wand down.

"Rest of you, follow the boy."

Everyone else dropped his or her wands hesitatingly.

"Kill them all," sneered Voldemort, once the wands had been dropped.

"NO!" cried someone behind Harry.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

The room was filled with green light.

"PORTUS!"

Harry had whipped out Dumbledore's wand, and aimed at where Hagrid had stood, to turn something he was wearing into a portkey.

When the green light cleared, Harry noticed that Hagrid was no longer there. He hoped that Hagrid had gotten away by his portkey, and not have been disintegrated or anything. He assumed that he must've succeeded in getting Hagrid out, as no Death Eater used any spell different from the Killing Curse.

The other students were not as lucky.

Twenty dead twelve-year-olds lay at the Death Eater's feet.

"Kill their petty little _defence_ force. Leave Potter to me."

"GET BEHIND ME! NOW!" cried Harry.

The students jumped behind him as he grasped Dumbledore's wand tightly.

"Trixtonia!" he yelled.

An enormous shockwave erupted from Harry's wand, reflecting the many beams of red light sent at him, and knocking ten Death Eaters sprawling. Although this spell was basically like swatting at a giant with a blade of grass, it provided the slight distraction needed for everyone to regroup and grab their wands.

Hogwarts' few defenders turned, rolled, picked up their wands, those who also had spare wands held one wand in each hand and shot multiple rallies of spells towards Voldemort's forces, but it was no good. Most the spells found their targets, but the thousands of forces attacking were far too powerful for a handful of wizards to repel, let alone win against.

"CRUCIO!" yelled a voice.

Harry noticed that the beam of red light was flying towards him.

He didn't have enough time to move.

Harry tensed his muscles, preparing for the overwhelming sense of pain to take him.

It didn't come.

Harry took a second to observe his watch.

Nothing.

Then he saw Fortuna, who's eyes were now glowing with an eerie green light.

He remembered Dumbledore's words from what seemed a lifetime ago.

_"Wonderfully loyal creatures, they are, once they bond with a wizard they stay with them until they die... they gain very unique magical powers as they grow with the wizard..." Dumbledore had said._

It appeared that Fortuna was now gaining some powers.

However, within a few minutes, Professors Trelawney and Vector, Terry, Ernie, and Justin had fallen down, dead or stunned Harry couldn't tell. Ginny stood with Hermione and Ron behind her, her watch deflecting almost all the spells cast at her. The Unforgivable Curses were merely dodged by the three of them. All temporary joy that his mysticat was growing up left him.

Things were looking bleak. Professors Moody, Snape, McGonagall, and Orion were actively casting killing curses in quick succession.

Harry himself was sending storms of acid to rain down on Voldemort's troops.

Ginny, Ron, and Hermione were sending parasite curses around, and once hitting a target hurling the massive shockwave spell Harry had started the battle off with. It was a good combination.

However, the professors and students were being pushed further and further back, until directly behind them were the Great Hall's doors. Dementors had a horrible effect on many of the students, causing them to collapse on to the floor, shaking.

Trolls had started bashing things about, mainly causing a mess.

Voldemort's forces were now making a perimeter around what was left of the students and Professors. In just a few more minutes, they would be surrounded.

"Terremotio!" yelled a voice from Voldemort's side suddenly.

The earth instantly began shaking furiously, sending Voldemort's forces into disarray.

"RUN!" yelled Snape.

The students and Professors sprinted around Hogwarts in different directions, pushing over Death Eaters in the process, confusing trolls, and bowling into dementors.

"TRAITOR!" roared Voldemort.

Harry stopped a second and looked at who had betrayed Voldemort - not to mention saving them - he would try to help them.

Until he saw, levitated high in the air, Peter Pettigrew.

He spat. "HARRY POTTER! WE'RE EVEN! I OWE YOU NOTHING! OUR DEBT IS SETTLED!"

Harry thought he had gone a bit mad, as Pettigrew laughed maniacally, whilst being twirled around in the air, eventually throwing up all over a dementor, until he remembered what had happened at the end of his third year, when he had let Pettigrew go free, back to his master... that was what had started the second reign of terror... it was all his fault. He thought that Pettigrew would never repay the wizards' debt.

Evidentially, the debt had been torturing Pettigrew to such an extent that he now was prepared to sacrifice his worthless life to cleanse himself of his treasons by saving Harry Potter one last time.

Pettigrew's eyes were unfocused and yet opened up wide, as he spun around in the air, being hit by Cruciatus curses from Death Eaters around him.

Harry just realized that he had done the stupidest thing ever by staying behind and waiting to see who had saved them.

The next second passed in slow motion. Thousands of jets of light flew at Harry, who was standing immobile. He thought miserably, 'anywhere but here...'

And with a loud crack, he somehow found himself the next second standing outside the Marauder's room.

"FIND HIM, AND BRING HIM TO ME!" he heard Voldemort's voice yell below.

How on Earth did he teleport in Hogwarts? It was impossible!

However, now wasn't the time to ponder the laws of magic. Harry immediately stuck his wand into the hole that opened the Marauder's room, and whispered, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!"

He heard footsteps coming up.

The hole was just big enough for him to dive through.

He just did it in time to avoid being seen.

"Prongs," Harry whispered. With relief, he saw that the hole had shrunk to just big enough to fit a wand in again.

He turned to see Ginny, Hermione, and Ron holding their wands to his head.

"What are you doing, it's me!"

"Don't listen... it might be a trick..." muttered Ron.

Hermione and Ginny nodded fervently.

"Could anyone else do this?"

Harry swept out his spare wand in one fluid motion and stuck his holly wand right in front of Hermione's nose, Dumbledore's wand at Ginny's heart. He left Ron alone.

"Don't try it!" cried Ron.

Sparks flew out of the three of their wands.

"Ow... Don't be stupid, Ron, its me, Harry." Harry dropped his wands to show that he wasn't some Death Eater in disguise.

They still weren't convinced.

Harry couldn't see why, as no one else knew how to get into the Marauder's room.

Apparently Ginny was thinking along the same lines. "No one but Harry knows how to get into this room..."

"Why, where are we anyway?"

"The Marauder's Room," answered Harry simply.

Harry heard Hermione muttering silencing charms and shield charms at the hole.

To distract himself, he looked to the Marauder's shield hanging on the wall.

A stag, a wolf, and a dog lay faded and blackened on the shield.

The rat glowed bright white for a second, and then dwindled away to a miserable black, joining its fellows in darkness.

Peter Pettigrew, the last of the Marauders, was gone.

He died redeemed, and that in itself was enough to be thankful for.

The shield glowed with a cold blue glow, and a second later; the four places where Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs had been engraved were blank.

Harry unconsciously walked up the shield, and placed his wand where the stag had been, as if it could bring his father back.

He didn't expect a green light to blind him temporarily as a lion found itself on the Marauder's shield.

"What... but... why?" he stuttered.

"I think I know... this wasn't made for the Marauders..." whispered Hermione.

"No but... why is there a lion on the shield now?"

"It can't be... its impossible..."

"Would you mind sharing with the rest of us, Hermione? Or do you want us to stand here waiting for an explanation from someone else who just happens to come along and know exactly what you're thinking... an empathy maybe?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, and said, "Harry, take the shield off the wall, and see if there's any writing on the back."

Harry, feeling a bit stupid, took the shield off the wall, and flipped it over. Indeed there was writing, although it looked ancient, and in spidery, messy engraving.

_Together, be bound in friendship and in love. _

_Swear you solemn oaths of faith._

_Forever seal your fates in one._

He read it aloud to Hermione, Ron, and Ginny.

Hermione gasped. "I don't _BELIEVE _it!"

Ron and Ginny looked at her as if she was slightly insane.

"Harry... you're holding the shield of the Founders.


	17. Chapter 17

_Twilight_

_evabanmamber13_

this 1 was fun to write from what i remember

Chapter Seventeen - Saving the Students

"What's the shield of the Founders?" questioned Ron, Harry, and Ginny at the same time.

"It's a mystical shield which was said to be a myth found by the Founders of Hogwarts in a stash of Merlin's things... it is said to be a bonding talisman..."

"Which is?"

"_Honestly_, Ron, don't you ever pay attention in class?"

"No."

Hermione rolled her eyes before continuing. "A bonding talisman forms a strong connection between a certain number of wizards, which magnifies their abilities as long as the four are in a reasonably close proximity to each other... but it only opens up to selected few. The bonds can only be broken by a betrayal within the group, if everyone dies, or if the shield is broken itself, although no one but the people that are actually bonded can do so. The betrayal will not erase the marks on the shield - only death can do that... it was said that if a person redeemed himself after breaking the bonds of loyalty, the bonds would also reconnect - I'm sure that's what might've happened with the Marauders... It's also quite dangerous - should one of the people be secretly hiding bitterness towards another member of the group, then the bonding talisman can go seriously wrong... But no one's seen a bonding talisman since the Founders themselves... or at least no one's recognized it."

"Eat the textbook?"

"Shut up, Ron."

"Oh, and no offence to your dad, Harry, but they obviously didn't know what it was for - they must've thought it was just a pretty shield which they made their own..."

"And played music," added Ginny.

"So, what do we do about it?"

"Well you already have your symbol on it... Who are the three people you trust most?"

"Stupid question, really. You three of course!"

Ginny, Hermione, and Ron beamed at him.

"Then we should add our vows into the shield and complete the bonding talisman's magic!"

Hermione smiled as if she had just answered a question right in charms.

"But... isn't it dangerous?"

"Only if one of us has bitterness directed at each other... that doesn't apply to any of you, does it?" Ginny peered around at the three of them.

"No... not at all... but now isn't the _time _to do this! There are _Death Eaters _out in the halls looking for us!"

"Which is exactly why we have to do this! As the bond is first created, it should be at its optimum strength... if the four of us concentrate hard enough, we might be able to break the security charms Voldemort might've cast over Hogwarts!"

"Brilliant!" cried Harry and Ron.

Ginny, however, looked a bit unsettled. "Hermione... I don't think this is safe. Look back on the history of the shield... of the two groups we know have bonded, one of them have gone bad - about as bad as they could go..."

"But it's _them_, not us, Ginny! None of us would betray each other, would we?" Harry said.

"No way."

"Not a chance."

"Neither would Pettigrew or Slytherin have."

That sent the group into silence.

"We know that Pettigrew and Slytherin were once bonded very happily with their friends, and that they carried no intent on harming one of their friends at all... but something must've happened... for all we know it could be this shield..."

"But Ginny... we might need the powers now. We have to save what's left of the people in Hogwarts!"

Ginny looked as if she might object, but silently nodded.

Ron walked to the shield. "Okay, so what do I do?"

"Tap the shield once, and concentrate on Harry."

Ron tapped the shield with his wand, and screwed up his face in concentration.

The atmosphere went extremely cold - they felt as if they were at risk.

A jet of pale blue light flew from Ron's wand into the shield.

A grizzly bear appeared where a dog had once been.

"Cool!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione stepped up, and tapped her wand where the wolf had once been.

A yellow light came from Hermione's wand, and a fox appeared on the shield.

Harry smirked at Hermione - so far her 'inner animal' was the most boring one yet.

Ginny stepped forwards, and waved her wand over the part where the rat had been. Harry felt just a slight foreboding feeling, remembering Ginny's words before the bonding.

All doubts faded though, when a brilliant golden orange light flew from Ginny's wand to the shield, which with a glow of pure white light became complete.

A lion with a scar on its forehead, a bear with vibrant red fur, a brown fox, and a cat, which looked remarkably like Fortuna, only with red hair where the black was, were engraved neatly on to the ancient shield.

Harry hung it back on the wall.

Harry said, "So what now? We're superwizards?"

"Not quite. But I think if we concentrate hard enough, we should be able to do spells better than before. Think of all the things we can learn! But take out your Marauder's map, Harry. Let's see if we can still find anyone to rescue."

Harry took out the map, unfolded the rumpled bit of parchment, waved his wand over it and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

The four friends gathered around the map, in frantic search for any of their classmates or Professors. They scanned the grounds, seeing frightful numbers of wizards crowding the forbidden forest, Hagrid's hut, and the Quidditch field.

"There!" yelled Ginny.

Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom were hiding in a storage cupboard in the girls' prefect bathroom. The closest Death Eater was a man named John Krensten. He was standing a corridor away from the bathroom. They saw they had a chance to rescue Luna and Neville.

"Okay, we'll go under the invisibility cloak, and..." started Hermione.

"I'm on it, you three stay here," said Harry.

"No wait, don't we all need to go?" asked Ron.

"No. None of you can apparate in Hogwarts."

"We might be able to apparate now that we used the shield..."

"Don't be silly, it focuses our power, it doesn't _give _us new powers."

"Yeah... but still we don't know if you can apparate or not... what makes you think YOU can? You might splinch yourself..."

"Trust me, I can. I've done it twice now, unconsciously."

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny looked suspicious. Ron however, said, "Okay... if you say so..."

Harry turned before he swung his invisibility cloak over himself.

"Stay here unless you find anyone else well alone. Don't take any chances..."

"Look who's talking!" retorted Ron.

"Please."

"All right..."

"I'll be back."

Harry Potter was now swiftly bending away the rules of Hogwarts' anti-apparition charms.

He found himself in the girls' prefect bathroom right in front of the closet in which Luna and Neville were hiding.

"Luna! Neville! It's me, Harry," he called, sweeping off his cloak.

They jumped out of the closet, Luna putting Harry under the full body bind, and Neville shooting a stunning curse randomly.

"Mmffhpmmh!" cried Harry his entire body stiff as cardboard.

With a gasp of recognition from Luna, and a wave of her wand, Harry was released from the curse.

"C'mon, grab on to me, I'm taking you to the saferoom," Harry snapped immediately.

"But you can't apparate in Hogwarts..." began Luna.

"Watch me. C'mon, we don't have much time."

Harry was slightly nervous himself, despite his confident words.

He could apparate himself around Hogwarts now, but could he manage with passengers?

He would have to try.

Luna and Neville hung on tight to Harry, who tried to apparate away.

He couldn't manage, closing his eyes in concentration, as he tripped over the hem of his robes, and fell face first into a toilet bowl.

"Eww..." said Neville.

Luna giggled.

Harry stood, spat out a mouthful of disgusting water, and said, "Scourgify!"

He may have cleaned himself, but he still had a most unpleasant taste in his mouth.

"Ugh... one at a time then, one at a time..."

"Luna... you go first... don't worry about me..." said Neville in a rather mushy tone.

Harry would've laughed had the situation not been so grave. He thought this should be aired on television as a soap opera or something. Life truly was a drama - at least with him it was.

"I'll be back in a second," assured Harry, and this time, with just one person hanging on to him, he apparated away to the Marauder's room. It worked, much to his relief.

Harry dropped Luna off on the leather sofa, and nodding to Ginny who was sitting there watching anxiously, he apparated back from the warm safety of the Marauder's room, back to the cold, empty prefect's bathroom for Neville.

Unfortunately, Neville wasn't the only one there.

"GET DOWN HARRY!" cried Neville, barring the girls' bathroom door. A single wizard in black robes lay at Neville's feet, stunned.

Harry dived at Neville and apparated himself out just as he heard a crack signaling that the Death Eaters had broken in through Neville's barricade.

As Harry let out a sigh of relief as he saw Marauder's room again, he slumped down on to the sofa, slung his arm around Ginny, and sighed.

"Who's next? We don't have much time, they know we're somewhere in Hogwarts now..."

"Harry... look..."

As Ron passed Harry the Marauder's map, he could not believe his eyes.

A massive amount of dots were huddled in the Great Hall.

It would've been terrifying had these dots all been Death Eaters.

But it was even worse. The dots in the middle represented students, and a few Professors. Harry could see that they were being held hostage by another few hundred dots surrounding the room. Death Eaters, and some dots labeled with question marks. Harry assumed they were Dementors or trolls.

Harry knew what these hostages were being used for. 'Bargaining' material.

"We have to get them out..."

"How?"

"We apparate, and grab four at a time... and then..."

"Has it occurred to you there is NO chance at all of doing that successfully?"

"Yes, and that's why it's called _magic_."

"Any other survivors?"

"No. They're either dead or they've escaped. I suggest we leave the castle too before we find that we can't."

"We can't leave those people there!" exclaimed Harry.

"We don't have a choice," said Ginny.

"Yes, we do. Dumbledore once said to us we must do what is right, not what is easy..."

"We stand no chance against thousands of troops! They're probably within seconds of finding us here now! Its not a time to listen to Dumbledore's words of wisdom!"

Harry drew himself up to his full height, his eyes flaring up, in anticipation of a fight.

"I will not leave them there to be bargained with."

Ron held up his hand. "We need Dumbledore for this. We need help, Harry..."

"He's gone. He's dead. We're on our own."

"No... the time-travel spell."

_November 1993, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmaster's office - Alternate Timeline_

"Professor Dumbledore," said Harry, stumbling into the Headmaster's office.

It filled his heart with warmth to feel Fawkes the phoenix sing a note, watch the flames flicker in Dumbledore's lively fireplace, and the many ornaments that the Headmaster owned - all of which were packed away now in McGonagall's office. There was a distinct smell to Dumbledore's office, one that Harry had grown to like in his constant trips to it in his seventh year.

"Harry?" questioned the Headmaster, standing up with a look of concern in his eyes. "What happened to you?"

"Professor. I'm not the Harry you're used to... a long story short, we come from a not so distant future. Things have happened in the next four years. Many bad things..."

Dumbledore, after searching Harry's eyes for a few minutes, said, "You must be here under a spell then... but how did you..."

"You told us how to," said Hermione, speaking up.

"But I wouldn't have! I wouldn't give up that bit of information until I know I'm about to..."

Dumbledore noticed the ashen looks on the six students' faces, and stopped.

"Oh my... I think I need a seat... why don't you all tell me what happened - and take your time, I believe this is going to be a remarkable tale..."

_February 4th 10:32AM - Primary Timeline - Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Great Hall_

Severus Snape flew backwards again, and was hit by yet another volley of Cruciatus curses.

Through his dimly conscious mind, he heard sneers of "Chose the wrong side now, didn't you, Severus?" and things to that extent.

Would the pain ever stop?

Was there still anything in the world other than pain?

Severus Snape did not know, and frankly, he found that he did not care.

He wished for death.

It was the end.

Their defences had failed, and in consequence, Hogwarts was over.

Many of his students lay dead next to him, others stunned and taken into captivity, or just left sitting there to die. His fellow colleagues were rounded up with him, although none of them subjected to the horrible torture he endured yet.

The strongest fortress of the days of the Dark Lord's first reign had fallen - the world would soon follow.

And he did not care.

Pain dug into him like paper cuts on every millimeter of his skin, he felt like piranhas were eating his organs out bit by bit, eventually reaching his brain.

He screamed, but no sound came out.

It was hell.

He could not remember why he was here, who he was, or what was happening to him.

Severus Snape knew just pain - and pain was all he held on to, dangling above death. He wanted to sever the last connection binding him to life, to end this torturous existence.

And all of a sudden, it stopped.

The pain disappeared.

He remembered.

Tears slid down the dignified man's sunken cheeks.

He wished so very much for rest.

With a last look upwards, he saw a frenzied crowd of Death Eaters and trolls blundering around.

At the center of the commotion stood a foolish black-haired boy.

He did not like the boy, but all the same, he wished he could help him.

But it was time for rest.

Others would have to help him. This wasn't his battle.

His eyelids closed, and for Severus Snape, all went black.

"TORRENTORIA ACIDO!" yelled Ginny, sending a rain of acid at a group of Death Eaters who were guarding the prisoners.

They shrieked as the acid burnt through their robes and started digesting their skin. How Ginny did this without regret at all showed how war had hardened the beautiful, once innocent girl.

It had been a month for Ginny and her friends, discussing strategies and practicing spells in the safety of Professor Dumbledore's safe house in the Rocky Mountains, listening to the words of advice the old wizard had for them.

When they had returned to the besieged Hogwarts, Ginny saw a dark fire burning in Harry's eyes as he blew open the doors to the Great Hall, had immediately cast a Dementor banishing spell, whilst his Patronus charged off the rogues that escaped it.

She, Hermione, Luna, Neville, and Ron were in charge of releasing the prisoners.

Harry stood, eyes flaring, staring at Voldemort with utmost hatred.

Ginny rolled over on the floor, and threw a portkey to a group of fourth years.

She watched with triumph as they disappeared from the Great Hall.

"TEMPUS IMMOBULIS!" shrieked Hermione.

Wow, Ginny thought. Leave it to Hermione to think of a spell to stop time. Ginny herself had been amazed that it actually worked, although Harry had told her of something that Dumbledore did to a similar effect - just knocking out the other people in the room.

Harry, Ginny, and Hermione were the only ones still moving, as time stood still. Harry had a large cut on his left arm, which was bleeding freely.

"C'mon, I don't know how long this'll hold. Portkey everyone away! Free the teachers and older students, we need them!" snapped Hermione.

The three of them instantly did as they were told, saving about fifty of the students before Hermione's spell faded.

Harry was immediately hurled backwards by a shout of 'FLIPENDO'.

Hermione managed to just portkey another five people out of Hogwarts, before she too was hit by a jet of light. She fell, assumedly stunned.

Ron let out a strangled cry, and the words coming out of his mouth Ginny never expected to hear from her beloved brother's mouth.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Hermione's attacker fell dead.

Ron, eyes still blazing, struck at any Death Eaters possible. Soon many experienced, war-hardened wizards were avoiding him, almost as much as they avoided Harry, who had also turned furious.

Ginny, with waves of her wand, freed Professors Moody, McGonagall, and Orion, who, upon snapping awake, took several seconds to analyze the situation, and immediately joined Harry and Ron in attacking the people around. She had also then revived Hermione, who had thankfully been hit by a confundus curse.

It was a miracle that none of them fell to any curses - in fact it seemed as if the Death Eaters, and their lesser ranks of dark wizards were hurting themselves and their allies more than Harry, Ron, and the Professors were.

Luna, Neville, and Ginny were rallying the students to gather together, whilst sending off rogue curses at the Death Eaters.

"TEMPUS IMMOBULIS!" shouted Hermione again.

As time stopped for the second time, this time more people were immune - Death Eaters as well. Voldemort was squaring off with Harry and Moody.

Harry silenced the six of them that actually did stay up with parasite curses, followed by shockwave curses that flipped them into their own comrades. Harry, pumped up with the wizards' energies, broke into Voldemort's ranks with the powerful curses. Ginny could see that the Death Eaters hit directly by Harry's spells fell dead.

"EVERYONE! GRAB A PORTKEY AND LEAVE!" shouted Hermione, who had risen to the leader of this battle.

A sixth fraction of the students had been evacuated; others were fighting, or had, in the most part, been killed.

The Professors, excepting Moody, Orion, and McGonagall joined Hermione in a tight circle, hanging onto an old goblet, disappearing. Hermione had dragged along Severus Snape with them, who was lying unconscious.

Ginny grabbed onto Harry, Luna, Ron, Neville, Blaise, and a couple of fifth and fourth years, and started to portkey away, when Hermione's spell broke, and Voldemort's forces awoke. Harry, before anyone could stop him, broke away from their circle, and ran towards what was left of the students.

Ginny, yelling out in fright and despair was jerked away from Hogwarts, and with it, Harry.

The last she saw was Harry standing tall and proud, Fortuna on his shoulder, eyes glowing, reflecting many jets of light sent at his master, the pair of them facing Voldemort, wizards, and trolls, who were closing in on him and the remnants of the students that had not been portkeyed away in a tight circle, like a ring of vultures descending on a dead animal's corpse. A tear slid down Ginny's cheek, as she landed in sunny Phuket at Thailand.

She feared for him.

So very much.


	18. Chapter 18

sry it's been awhile but i was out of town well here are the next two chapters__

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Eighteen - Away and Back

Harry was scared.

No one could see it of course, but he was.

He, and about twenty other students and Professors stood, surrounded by Voldemort's troops. Their wands were on the floor. Harry felt his two spare wands in their holsters, but he could not reach for them, as there were about ten wands pointed right at his head.

No one attacked.

No one moved.

No one even dared breathe.

"So... Potter," Voldemort stood.

Harry glared at the snake-like man, towering above him.

"Many times you've escaped me... how this was so is beyond my comprehension... but this time, as you see, you have no way out. I'm sure of it. I underestimated you for the last time, Potter. Now, before you die, I have some questions to ask of you..."

Harry did not speak. He felt Professor Orion shake next to him. Even the hardened witch was scared.

"Where is the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix?"

Harry didn't reply.

"CRUCIO! HOW DARE YOU HESITATE TO OBEY!"

The beam of light was reflected before it reached Harry.

A troll started shrieking beside Voldemort.

"Quiet, fool. Avada Kedavra," said Voldemort.

The troll fell dead immediately.

Death Eaters started shuffling uneasily.

"You will not tell me, Potter?" Voldemort burnt a hole through Harry with his piercing slits of eyes.

"No, Riddle."

"So be it. Kill a student for every minute he hesitates, until he sees fit to succumb to... reason."

With that, Voldemort swept out of the Great Hall.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" yelled a Death Eater.

His voice was strangely familiar.

A boy Harry knew as the sixth year Hufflepuff, Francis fell dead.

He hung his head, wallowing in guilt.

Students shrieked in fear, begging Harry to tell Voldemort.

But he couldn't...

_He had to be strong._

A wide-eyed first year fell, dead.

_He could not break down._

Dennis Creevey looked up at him with cold, unseeing eyes, the next victim of the Death Eaters.

_He was the Boy-who-Lived._

Beautiful Hannah Abbot was next. She died with a fiery look of defiance in her eyes.

_The world lied on his shoulders. _

A third-year girl.

_He couldn't drop it._

Sarah Livingston, a sixth year Ravenclaw.

_The Order of the Phoenix was too important._

Jake Gardener, one of the boys Harry had caught snogging in the Astronomy Tower, lifetimes ago when such matters were not seen as trivial.

_Could he fight them by himself?_

A tiny second year Hufflepuff.

_He couldn't fight this many by himself._

A fifth year prefect.

He snapped.

Just when Harry was about to whip out his wands and cast spells around in a last desperate attempt to defeat the Death Eaters, the doors of the Great Hall flew open once more.

Harry raised his eyes to the door.

A gasp escaped his throat.

Salvation was here.

It seemed as though the whole wizarding population of Great Britain had been piled into the Great Hall, although they were really only hundreds strong.

Led by what was left of the Ministry Aurors, called together by Arthur Weasley, and the Order of the Phoenix, wizards and witches of all ages came to Hogwarts' rescue.

It was an urgent message from Ginny and Ron Weasley that had alerted their father to the fall of Hogwarts, and that the Boy-who-Lived was still inside.

They called together everyone they could on short noticed, and stormed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

It was utter chaos.

For two hours, the battle had spread out of the Great Hall, which was littered with corpses, to the extent of the entire Hogwarts grounds.

At the top of the Divination Tower, Harry Potter and Tom Riddle dueled.

"PARASITRAN MAGICA!" roared Harry, brandishing Dumbledore's wand, his spare wand in his other hand. His primary wand still lay hidden in the holster inside his robe.

Voldemort waved his wand wordlessly, and the spell was deflected.

"Can't you see, Potter? You cannot win... you cannot hurt me. I am Lord Voldemort!" he cackled insanely.

Harry hurled a stunning spell at him, in the middle of his laughter.

It hit Voldemort straight in the chest.

But after stumbling just a second, he regained posture.

"Crucio!" shouted Voldemort.

Thanks to Fortuna, the light bounced away, and shattered the window of Trelawney's classroom.

"MAXIMUS REDUCTO!" yelled Harry.

Voldemort, with a wave of his wand, deflected the spell back towards Harry.

As he jumped out of the way just in time, and watched a massive hole get blasted through the tower, he began to get desperate.

How could he defeat an enemy that could not be hurt?

His time was running low.

He ducked a jet of green light.

His options were incredibly limited.

Voldemort now slowly moved to corner Harry.

Harry shot spells from jelly-legs to reductor spells, all to no avail.

He was slowly beginning to be pressed to the wall.

Voldemort shouted something that Harry could not make out, and he found his wands flying away from him.

He was now helpless.

Feeling around in his robes, he felt the last wand.

"If only your little muggle loving girlfriend could see you now... see you, the great, mighty Harry Potter, all at my mercy... I have waited sixteen years for this to happen... yet every time I got you in my grasp, you somehow slithered away from me... how very... Slytherin. I believe you would've done well had you not had your pathetic morals. But alas, wands lost, friends dead, utterly abandoned and alone in the world, it is your time to die..."

Voldemort waved his wand, and Harry flew backwards, crushed against the wall.

His wand lay vibrating lightly in its holster.

Harry, although wincing with pain, stood up again.

"But fear not, Potter. Soon I will send her along with you... with you out of the way, the ministry under my control, nothing will stand in my way... I shall be the master of the WORLD!"

Voldemort waved his wand again, and yet again, Harry was thrown into the wall.

With much more effort this time, he managed to stand up again, blood flowing freely from his bashed up body.

He dared not move to his wand yet.

"But why, Potter? Why had you chosen this unrewarding, foolish path of the _good _wizards? Know you not by now that there is only power, and those too foolish to seek it? Why had you not taken my hand when I offered you the choice to greatness, nearly seven years ago? I do not understand, why is one so intelligent at the same time so foolish? How did this come to pass?"

Again, Lord Voldemort waved his wand.

Harry felt a bone crack in his shoulder. His robes were now started to dampen with blood.

Again he stood, glaring into Voldemort's eyes.

"Because there are things in the world worth fighting for."

"FOOL! What is there in the world worth fighting for... friendship? Peace? Happiness? Honor? _Love_?" Voldemort spat.

"In one's life, one will have to make a choice. One can do what is easy, or what is right. I choose to do what is right."

"Then you shall die."

As Voldemort lifted his wand, Harry knew it was now or never.

Whipping out his final wand, he roared, "ECLATEZ TOTALUS!"

As he saw the white light shoot out of his wand, up into the ceiling, he jumped out through the hole in the tower, clutching on to Fortuna for dear life.

Divination Tower exploded into a thousand pieces.

Percy Weasley was locked inside a small, but reasonably well furnished room, in the darkness of Riddle Mansion. He heard footsteps outside his room every hour or so, but other then that, he had nothing but food, a book about previous ministers of the magical society, a bed, and memories to entertain him.

It was almost a month now, since he had stormed out of the Burrow in anger, telling his parents to never expect to see him again.

He never thought it would really come to pass.

He had just been preparing to apparate, when he had been hit by a spell, and next thing he knew he was placed in front of Lord Voldemort's throne.

He had been interrogated - thank god he didn't know most of the Order's secrets. He had somehow managed to prevent himself from telling Lord Voldemort about the location of the Headquarters.

But two days ago, the worst had happened.

Word came from the Death Eaters talking outside his room that what was left of the light wizards had been driven out of Britain, Harry Potter the last of them to leave.

It made Percy feel very lonesome. Had all of his family made it out alive? Despite his arguments with his mother and father, he did love his family very much, especially his baby sister Ginny. She was a princess in his eyes, from the very first day he saw his mother cradle her in her arms. He wondered how Ginny was doing now, or even if she was alive.

A tear slid down his cheek as he thought about his family.

Things hadn't gone well, and if one of them had been hurt, or killed even, he didn't know how he would manage to forgive himself.

His door burst open all of a sudden, and none other than Lord Voldemort stood in front of him.

"Weasley. Stand up."

Percy stood, although he did it very grudgingly. After all, there was no use in getting himself killed.

"I have a job for you... then you may have your freedom."

"HARRY!" shrieked a sobbing Ginny Weasley, running towards the arms of the seventeen-year-old boy that was her boyfriend, and so much more.

The blood drenched Harry Potter stumbled through the five-star muggle hotel in Phuket, drawing many stares and awed gasps.

"Ginny..." he whispered.

"Oh god... you're hurt... come on... up to the room..."

Slowly, Ginny walked with Harry up to room 2300, the presidential suite, and led him in.

"Oh my god! RON! HARRY'S HERE!" yelled Hermione.

Ron and Hermione sprinted up to Harry, who held up an arm weakly to stop them.

"Please, let me go take a bath and fix myself up... I need some time."

Harry sunk into the bathtub, bubbles around him, closing his eyes.

Cuts, bruises, and scrapes burnt as he sunk into the luxurious pool-like bathtub full of hot water.

It all replayed in his mind.

_He had been amazed, how Voldemort managed to survive when the very ground on which he stood had been blasted into dust, Harry could not fathom._

_When he and Fortuna had managed to apparate back to the Great Hall, Harry expected an easy getaway._

_He didn't count on seeing Voldemort kill a first year right in front of his face._

_"We have you all now. Put down all your wands and turn facing the wall."_

_Harry had turned, bent down, then flipped right up and stuck his wand at Voldemort's throat, kicking his wand out of his hand._

_In that second, the rescue party and the teachers had stuck their wands towards the closest Death Eaters, and received four wands at their own heads._

_"We have YOU now. DROP ALL YOUR WANDS, LET US GO, AND YOUR LEADER LIVES ANOTHER DAY!"_

_"You cannot kill me," Voldemort had hissed._

_"Maybe not, but an explosion inside your lungs will sure hurt you for a very very long time..."_

_"You wouldn't dare! You would kill everyone in this hall!"_

_"I wouldn't dare? Try me. You have three seconds."_

_"Three."_

_"Two."_

_"ALL RIGHT! Allow Potter and his little friends to leave..."_

_"Inteltransverto," Harry had said, pointing at Arthur Weasley and the Professors._

_**Rendezvous point at Dumbledore's safe house in the Rocky Mountains. Be there as soon as you can. I have important news.**_

_"ACCIO WANDS!" Harry had shouted. _

_As the wands flew towards him, he yelled, "Multiplicus Diffindo!"_

_All the wands snapped into splinters._

_They were free to go._

_Turning his wand back on Voldemort, he motioned for everyone to leave._

_As he saw the last man leave, he apparated away._

He had left with a strange feeling in his stomach. It had, despite many deaths occurring, seemed too easy.

He knew Voldemort could manage wandless magic, but why he had not used any, Harry would never find out.

Steam now filled the bathroom.

The door opened.

Harry immediately covered himself with bubbles.

"Hi Harry."

He gasped. Ginny was standing at the door, a mischievous glint in her eyes, a smile tugging on the corners of her lips.

"Gin... what are you doing here... I'm taking a... I'm not wearing clothes!"

Ginny giggled. "I know."

"But..."

She walked closer.

Step by step.

He could count the freckles on her face now, despite the heavy steam and the fact that he had no glasses on.

Still closer she came.

By now he could see his own eyes reflected in Ginny's.

She bent slowly down towards him, teasing him.

"You know, you really scared me there..." she said, stroking a finger across his cheek playfully.

"Ginny... Ron is... don't you think..."

And she shut him up with a kiss.

All the guilt, all the sadness, all the evils of the world were washed away, as he pulled Ginny to him. His mind went blissfully, and totally blank. He forgot about Ginny's older brother and best friend sitting outside in the hotel suite. He forgot about the people that died because of him. And most importantly, he forgot about Lord Voldemort. All that mattered was Ginny. She was the only one in the world.

She wasn't going to be happy about getting all wet, he thought dimly, as he pulled Ginny into the large bathtub with him, a part of him thought dimly from the back of his mind.

He felt her smooth skin on his, her soaked t-shirt weighing down on him. His mind was filled with sensations as he kissed her deeply, pulling her to him tightly.

On second thought, maybe she wouldn't even notice she was wet at all.

It was a cold, rainy day, when Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron arrived at the Safehouse, with a couple more students in tow, including Luna, Neville, and Blaise Zabini.

No one spoke.

Harry raised his wand. "Allow me entrance. I am Harry Potter."

The next thing he knew, he stood in a red and gold room, none of his friends beside him.

Hedwig swooped down and landed on Harry's bag, only to hear a meow of protest come from Fortuna, who had been sleeping calmly in Harry's bag.

Hedwig flew off again, looking quite insulted.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

"HARRY, OH WE WERE SO WORRIED! WHERE IS GINNY AND RON? And Hermione?" shouted Mrs. Weasley, who Harry had just seen come through the door holding her wand to see who it was.

"MUM!" a girlish voice squealed happily behind them.

The sixteen-year-old girl leaped into her mother's arms like a little child, hugging her, a smile of innocence on her girlish features.

Harry had never seen Ginny look so innocent, and child like before, and he found that he rather found it nice.

But by now, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville, and a couple of fifth years had come into the room, and Mrs. Weasley had rounded on her youngest son and his girlfriend.

Members of the Order, including Tonks, Kingsley, Mr. Weasley, Mundungus Fletcher, and Snape walked in, their faces grave. Snape was on a wheelchair, his face pale, his eyes still full of pain, bandages covering almost every inch of his body. Harry started feeling sympathy for the Potions master.

"It better be good, whatever you have to tell us, Potter, because now the whole of Britain is under Voldemort's control with barely any opposition!" shouted Snape. There went the sympathy.

"He cannot be killed."

"What nonsense is this?" snapped Snape.

"Tom Riddle is immortal."

"Nonsense!" repeated Snape.

"Not so. I sent a killing curse at him before. It hit him and he got back up. I thought it must've been some fluke on my part... but the last battle, he proved it. Divination Tower... the destruction... it was my doing. And Voldemort wasn't even scratched."

Murmurs went through the crowd of people that had gathered around at this.

"We must find another way. We cannot kill him so we must detain him. We cannot defeat him so we must compromise him. We cannot bargain so we must force him to defeat. But how?"

"Severus!" cried McGonagall.

"What?"

"Get Dumbledore's pensieve. I think now is the moment in which it can be opened."

As Snape ran out of the room and up the stairs, McGonagall led the crowd into the living room, which Harry had gotten to know well in his time here in the alternate timeline - apparently not much changed during the four years, besides that now it was filled with members of the Order and the Auror divisions.

McGonagall led the other students aside, apart from Ginny, Ron, and Hermione, handing them each a bar of chocolate, patting them on the back, and waving her wand.

In a whirl, all of the students were gone.

Portkeys.

Harry had never really liked portkeys, but recently they seemed to be so very important in his life.

Saving Hagrid.

Saving all the other students.

Killing Cedric.

Don't think about that.

"Mr. Weasley, Miss Weasley, Mr. Potter, and Miss Granger. You have a choice now. Your parents have granted you with this choice to make on your own. You may return to London, and join the resistance, stay here and try to find a way to stop You-know-Who, or you may leave for Boston, Massachusetts, in the Academy of Magical Arts in America. Please take your time and think this through clearly."

McGonagall swept out of the room, leaving Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione feeling under pressure and quite alone.

"I'm going back," spoke Harry first.

"And what? You said yourself that you couldn't kill Voldemort. What are you going to do?" countered Ginny.

"Anything. More people can't die because of..."

"If you finish that sentence with the word 'me' I will slap you."

"Okay, okay... More people can't die because of Harry Potter..."

Harry felt a hand smack across his face.

"BUT I DIDN'T..." he spluttered indignantly.

"I never said anything about _not _slapping you if you ended it with the words Harry Potter," smiled Ginny sweetly.

"My place is with the war, you all. I belong in the fray. I will return to London."

"We follow Harry."

"Are you all sure?"

"Yes, Professor."

"No, Harry. We are on an equal basis now. Call me Minerva."

Harry raised an eyebrow at this. He wouldn't have expected to hear words like that come from Minerva McGonagall's mouth anytime soon.

"If this truly is your choice, I fear this may be one of the last times we meet again. It has been an honor to teach you and watch you grow Harry. I hope that we shall meet again, whether it be in the war or after it. If I have any news, I assure you that it will be brought."

Such stiff formalities Harry didn't know how to handle.

He settled for saying, "Thank you, Minerva. The honor was all mine."

Simple perhaps, but to the point.

"Go to Grimmauld Place. I believe it is one of the last few places where our forces gather. These portkeys will take you there."

Harry took the portkey. He nodded at Ron, Ginny, and Hermione, and he, with a tug on his navel, disappeared to Grimmauld Place.

Hermione hugged McGonagall tightly. By far, McGonagall had always been Hermione's favorite teacher - save perhaps for Dumbledore.

Hermione then took a portkey, and followed Harry.

"Mr. Weasley," said McGonagall quite briskly.

"Professor McGonagall."

A nod was shared between them, and understanding finally passed through the student and teacher that were so unalike.

Then came Ginny.

"Ginny Weasley. May you watch over that boy... he truly is our last hope."

"I will, Professor."

Ginny Weasley, then taking a portkey left the safehouse, and traveled at light-speed to Grimmauld Place.

As she found herself landing on her back, she was pulled up by a familiar face with green eyes.

Eyes full of such energy, such power.

Eyes capable of loving so much, yet hating so much.

Eyes that she fell in love with, from the first time she saw them.

She knew then, she would do anything for him.

Her own voice echoed in her mind.

_I will._

Percy sighed.

"Ginny."

A few minutes, a short redheaded girl bounced through the door, with a delighted squeal of, "Percy! You're okay!"

His sister.

Ginny.

She jumped onto his bed, crossed her legs, and hugged her brother with a childish glee.

"What happened to you, Percy?"

Percy was guilt stricken about what he was about to do.

The delighted grin on his baby sister's face disappeared slightly as she looked at him again.

"Percy?"

"It's okay, Ginny... it's okay..."

He patted her awkwardly on the arm.

"I missed you, Percy," said Ginny softly, the angelic smile back on her face.

"I missed you too, sis..."

Memories flew unbidden to his head.

_It was a warm day. He was eating ice cream at Diagon Alley, holding a banana split in one hand, his sister's hand in his other. It was not often he could be treated to ice cream, and since his mum offered him a few sickles to treat himself, he decided to bring Ginny also._

_"Percy, can I have some please?"_

_He spooned half his banana split onto her tiny plate._

_"Thank you, Percy!" little Ginny had exclaimed._

_"Anything for our little princess," he had replied._

_He truly loved his little sister._

He studied his sister. No longer was she the five-year old that had followed him around Diagon Alley.

Sitting in front of him was a sixteen-year-old girl, all grown up.

She still had her Weasley hair of course, but hers was different from the males of the other Weasley children.

Instead of bright flaring orange, hers was like a rainbow of red, from colors as dark as burgundy to strands of orange-blonde, all depending on the angle the light hit her hair.

She still had her freckles, which she had despised when she was young.

She still had her deep brown eyes, full of emotion and innocence.

She still had her beautiful smile, which lit your soul, making you feel better just be looking at her.

She still was his sister.

And he still truly loved her.

And as tears flowed down his cheeks, he told her so.

_'I leave tonight,' thought Percy._

_No one, especially not his sister would be killed because of him._

_Some things survival was worth trading for._

_Love was one of them. _

Harry, who could not sleep again, sat by the dying embers of the fire in Grimmauld Place.

It was lucky that this insomnia struck him then, for he saw Percy Weasley sneaking out the door just that minute, with a satchel slung over his shoulder.

Following, he decided to see just where Percy was going.

"Hey Percy," he said from the shadows.

Percy jumped.

"Wh - who - who's there?"

"Relax, its just Harry. What are you doing?"

"I have to go."

This slightly alarmed Harry.

"Where?"

"Look... do you promise not to tell anyone?"

Harry was starting to get a bit suspicious.

"Depends on where it is."

"Riddle Mansion."

Fast as a bullet, Harry drew his wand out and pointed it at Percy.

"Why?"

"Put your wand away, Harry. I'm not a Death Eater."

Harry slowly lowered his wand, but kept a firm hold on it.

"It all started one day, when I left the Burrow in a rage..."

Harry crept behind a rock, waiting for Voldemort to arrive to Percy.

It was a plan they had carefully engineered over the last few days. As Voldemort apparated in, Percy would talk to him, distracting him momentarily.

He, Harry would have to infiltrate Riddle Mansion to look for clues on Voldemort's weaknesses.

It was a desperate plan, with so many Death Eaters guarding the mansion, but between his invisibility cloak and his own prowess in dueling, he thought he'd be okay.

Who knows? He might even be able to get some useful information.

He was cut out of his thoughts as a loud crack was heard.

He immediately apparated out.

He had precious few minutes.

"Revealem," he said.

The spot where the mansion was supposed to be flickered in front of Harry's eyes.

Strangely, he didn't see anyone guarding it.

Voldemort's front door would have to pay the price - yet again.

"Reducto," he whispered.

The door blew off its hinges.

The invisibility cloak over him, Harry walked around the house.

Where should he start?

He walked to the throne room.

Stupid move, he thought to himself.

Voldemort surely wouldn't put anything of value in front of all of his followers.

He found a Death Eater secretly munching on what looked like a half-finished pumpkin pasty.

Pig, Harry thought.

Slipping past the Death Eater into the next hallway, Harry knew that he definitely wouldn't find anything worth examining on the ground floor.

No what Harry needed to find were the towers and the dungeons, where Voldemort probably spent his nights, if he slept at all.

Was that man still human enough to sleep?

If so, how did he close his eyes?

The man had no eyelids!

Harry didn't know, and he didn't really care.

None of this mattered as long as he found something useful to bring back to the Order.

After what seemed like hours, Harry found it.

Voldemort's own chambers.

But he stopped.

Wasn't it a bit too easy?

He had just broken through all of Voldemort's defences without so much as batting an eyelash.

It just didn't seem right that what should've been the most secure place in the world, save perhaps Grimmauld Place, would be so easy to infiltrate.

Luck was truly with Harry then.

He had decided to come on a day in which Voldemort's forces had practically emptied out to fight the muggle army. Also, unknowingly, Harry's mere magical resonance deactivated many of the security charms.

And above all, Harry was lucky that he had gotten in the room unnoticed by the dozen Death Eaters standing right next to him.

It was an exquisitely decorated room, fit for a god.

There was a massive yew throne-like chair by a majestic mahogany desk with ancient engravings on it.

The bed was a green silky texture, and was very neatly made, with three pillows, and a blanket that looked somewhat like dragon-scales.

By the glass bedside table, he saw a book entitled Kama Sutra for the Elderly.

_Pig._

But next to it was Harry's goal, a leather studded journal.

It read T.M.R. on the cover, underlined by the words The Great Lord Voldemort.

Harry reached for the journal, only barely remembering Ron's words during his second year.

Magical books could be dangerous.

But he opened the journal nonetheless. Flipping to a random page in the middle of the book, Harry read.

_The Veil has been recovered from the Ministry fools. Guards were of a foolishly poor standard, my loyal servants took care of them easily..._

_Lucius has not recovered from Potter's memory spell. The boy is truly powerful if I, the Great Lord Voldemort cannot reverse it. _

_It is of no consequence. With my loyal servants positioned at Hogwarts, the boy shall soon be mine... with his death, no one shall be able to stop me..._

A diary was Tom Riddle's memory's downfall in Harry's second year. It might just prove to be his downfall again.

_Old habits die hard, _Harry thought.

He didn't know that he was holding in his hand the key to Voldemort's downfall, as he silently slipped the diary into his pocket and leaving.

Unfortunately for Harry, as he closed the door behind him after leaving a few rather unpleasant surprises for Voldemort, courtesy of the Weasley twins, he heard a voice behind him.

Luck was a double-sided sword. It worked both ways, when you want it and when you desperately don't want it.

"_Potter_?"

It was Draco Malfoy.

And he didn't look like he was here for fun and cookies.

Harry knew what had to be done.

He whipped off his invisibility cloak, whipped out his wand and shouted, "Evanesco!"

The invisibility cloak disappeared.

"It's been a while, Malfoy."

"Not long enough for my taste."

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat but I really must be going..."

"Not quite yet. We have some business to settle. I believe you are responsible for these?" said Draco, waving his hand carelessly at his magical eyes.

Harry grasped his wand tight.

Adrenaline was flowing through his veins.

"Funny thing it is Potter, you causing me to lose a precious thing, that is my natural eyes, has caused you to lose something valuable to you also. If it wasn't for the Dark Lord wanting to kill you himself, you would be dead just like this."

He snapped his fingers.

"What are you talking about, Malfoy. You can't kill me, you can't even stop me from leaving now!"

"Oh really?"

The magical eyes danced around crazily in their sockets.

Harry felt a wave of foreboding as he heard Draco's tones.

"Yes, really," said Harry.

"Try leaving when your mudblood slut is here with me," sneered Draco.

As he flicked his wand, three house-elves popped up to them, carrying what looked like a big yellow crystal.

"What?" Harry questioned.

With another flick of his wand, the crystal turned transparent.

He gasped in shock.

It was Hermione.

She looked like she was in some kind of enchanted sleep, with just her ripped remains of undergarments covering her body, not nearly enough.

Her face was illuminated palely in the crystal.

"Little bitch came in right after you... looking for you I assume. Did you forget something? Maybe this?"

To Harry's shock, he found that Malfoy was carrying his watch.

Without his watch, and without Fortuna, it meant that he had no protection.

Beside for his own wand.

He wondered why Malfoy wasn't calling for any Death Eaters.

He must want a big showdown.

One-on-one.

A fight for dominance.

A fight not just for survival, but for Hermione.

Malfoy must of thought the same thing.

With a wave of his wand, the doors flew shut.

They raised their wands.

Harry shot one last glimpse at Hermione's motionless body. Was she even alive?

He sure hoped so.

Malfoy inclined his head a bit.

A duel.

Just like five years ago.

This time they'd see who won that unfinished battle.

Harry nodded his head back.

He glared straight at Malfoy.

"Three," offered Harry.

Years of hatred flamed up in both of them.

"Two," replied Malfoy.

Years of competition were blown up within their souls.

"One," said both of them in unison.

Time to vent it all out.


	19. Chapter 19

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapternineteen - The Duel and the Veela

"MULTIPLICUS SERPENSORTIA!" Harry roared.

Giant cobras flew out of his wand. _Attack the boy. Try and free the girl._

"FLIPENDO!"

Harry ducked, just in time. A table smashed into the wall and cracked. Voldemort wouldn't be very happy about that.

The watch and Fortuna always bouncing jets of light off him gave him too much self-confidence.

Draco Malfoy was sharper than Harry would like to admit.

Snakes slithered to Hermione's crystal.

_C'mon, c'mon, _Harry thought.

Ducking a stunning spell, he hollered, "What's the matter, Malfoy? Scared to kill me? Afraid your precious little snake of a master will punish you?"

"CRUCIO!" spat Malfoy.

Harry rolled away and laughed.

"STELLARTICA LUMARE!"

Bright white light filled the room.

Malfoy didn't even flinch.

_Damn, stupid move, Potter. The guy doesn't even have real eyes!_

"IMPEDIMENTA!"

"PROTEGO!"

"STUPEFY!"

"PROTEGO!"

Harry smirked at Malfoy who was fuming.

"CRUCIO!"

The spell hit Harry just as he yelled, "TORRENTORIA FLAMARE!"

As Harry writhed on the floor in pain, yelling out, giant black clouds rose above Malfoy, spitting fireballs down at his face.

He jumped nimbly away from most of them, but a fireball smacked straight into his face. Draco let out an inhuman roar of agony, his hands holding the side of his face.

When he let go again, Harry saw that skin had been burnt straight off. He could see the bleeding flesh, in a place, the skull itself.

"Emmendo! FRECTUPENDUS!"

Harry jumped away from the gutting charm used on fish to remove their insides.

"STUPEFY!"

A close miss. Harry was getting tired from all the dodging, he didn't have the energy to cast any more spells.

"INCENDIO!" shouted Draco.

As Harry rolled aside, the hem of his robes catching fire, he saw a chance. Draco was busy observing Harry's robe being burnt, a sick smile on his face. Evidentially he thought Harry would soon be burning up.

"SKELEDESTRUCTO!"

It hit one of Draco's feet.

Another yell of pain.

But he still stood on his one good foot.

"FLIPENDO!" Harry gasped, with one hand still beating the fire out on his robes.

Draco was sent flying.

Harry extinguished the fire.

By then Draco got up, his eyes glinting dangerously.

Harry wasn't one to attack an opponent when they were down, so he raised his wand, ready to counterattack whatever Draco was about to throw at him.

He didn't anticipate Draco moving to shoot a spell at Hermione.

Harry blinked. A second later, Hermione's crystal flew open.

She awoke with a yell.

"HERMIONE! WATCH OUT!" Harry hollered.

"Oh hello Harry. Draco dear, what are we doing here?"

What was wrong with her? Harry thought to himself.

"HERMIONE! This is RIDDLE MANSION! He's... URGH!"

Harry let out a shout of disbelief as Hermione walked over to Draco, and held his hand tightly. She pressed her body tight up to Draco's.

What was going on?

Draco had a devilishly twisted smile on his face.

Not good.

He slowly realized. Draco had confounded Hermione, given her a love potion or _something_.

"Hermione. Come here. He's on the other side. It's me, Harry."

"I know perfect well who you are, thanks."

Hermione's eyes... they weren't brown anymore.

They were... an amethyst color. Harry had never seen anyone with that color eye, besides for a lady he saw on TV, advertising for contact lens.

But why put contact lens on?

He was puzzled.

Draco held Hermione closer to him, and she giggled before starting to kiss him.

A sight that Harry never dreamed he'd see, or even hear of.

"EWWW!" Harry yelled, unable to control himself.

Anything that snogged Malfoy had four legs, was incurably ugly, or else was inanimate and didn't have a mind of its own.

Last time he checked, Hermione was none of those things.

"Hermione... what are you doing..."

His voice had become weakened.

"Crystallize," Draco said.

Hermione was once engulfed in the crystal again.

What on earth just happened?

"Love potion, entrancement charm, imperius curse, and confundus curse. Hopelessly vulnerable... and good for a shag too... may I say, she _is_ good in bed - for a mudblood."

"BASTARD! CRUCIO!" Harry roared.

Draco merely stepped away.

The spell zipped dangerously close to Hermione's crystal.

"Careful, Potter. You try to leave, or you attack me one more time, and your little mudblood dies. Now, drop your wand or she dies now."

How many times had he heard this by now? Countless. He really wished he had his watch now - he had set it so that a portkey would activate merely by him telling it verbally to. He sighed. He'd have to do this the hard way.

"ACCIO CRYSTAL!"

As the crystal came flying towards him, he spun around, and pointing his wand at the doors he yelled "ALOHOMORA!"

Nothing happened.

Malfoy smirked.

"You see, Potter, there is no escape. ACCIO CRYSTAL!"

"PROTEGO!"

Funnily, as the spell was rebounded, a big diamond necklace flew towards Harry from Malfoy.

"Women's jewelry, Malfoy?"

"I'll have you know, that was made from the finest..."

Harry didn't have time for this. Pointing his wand for the floor this time, he yelled, "MAXIMUS REDUCTO!"

A massive hole opened in the floor, and grabbing the crystal containing Hermione, he dropped down to the floor below.

"Potter... you leave this house with her you'll never find a way to free her, from the crystal or the charms... Only I can release her... and bring her back to the way she was before..." he heard Draco's voice come from the floor above.

Damn Malfoy, Harry thought bitterly.

By now, some Death Eaters had come to investigate the source of the racket Harry had caused in blowing a hole through the floor.

Another day then, Malfoy, Harry thought to himself.

It wasn't worth sacrificing himself and Hermione on Malfoy's word.

But could he apparate from such strong wards, and in addition holding a massive crystal in his arms?

He grabbed the crystal, and tried. He'd find a way to free Hermione... if they got out of this place.

"You're bluffing, Malfoy," Harry said out loud.

The words came out at Grimmauld Place.

He really hoped that Malfoy was indeed just bluffing.

Malfoy, it transpired, had not been bluffing - or at least so it seemed as day after day passed, everyone unsuccessful in removing Hermione from the crystal. Everyone but Ron, Harry, and Ginny had given up already. McGonagall, Snape, and Moody had taken to reading Voldemort's diary in search of useful information. So far, nothing had come up.

They tried brewing potions, they tried charms, they even tried transfiguring and banishing the crystal - all to no avail.

Harry himself was already getting restless one day, when news came from Moody and Snape, who had taken to controlling what forces the wizarding resistance had to assist the muggles.

Snape had called an emergency meeting of the Order.

"I bring news... the Dark Lord has struck again... at the muggle army headquarters... seventeen Ministry officials were killed... and... one of ours... it was Dung..."

The atmosphere went from tense to grieving in a matter of seconds.

A few people were stuttering, "No...no..."

Fred and George stared at Snape wordlessly, their mouths hanging open. The twins had always liked Mundungus.

Mrs. Weasley was openly crying on Mr. Weasley's shoulder - Harry remembered the blazing row they had the last time Mundungus was in Grimmauld Place.

Ginny stood, tears sliding down her cheeks very visibly.

"Poor Dung..." she whispered.

Harry walked over to her, and hugged her tightly from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. Harry would be strong, he wouldn't cry.

Ginny jerked at first, but relaxed in his arms.

Mundugus' death hit too close home for comfort.

Determination took Harry, as he held Ginny's crying form in his arms.

Voldemort would pay for this. He would pay for all the people he had taken from the world, people that deserved to live.

He would kill him.

Or die trying.

On the third day after Mundungus' quiet funeral behind Grimmauld Place, about three weeks after Harry had gone to Riddle Mansion, Harry, Ron, and Ginny finally had a breakthrough.

It had been when all three of them were extremely frustrated, and all of a sudden Fortuna meowed.

A loud noise vibrated from the mysticat, somewhat like a gong.

Harry looked at his pet strangely. Then he turned to the crystal.

Initially, the crystal had started to glow red. Ron had let out a cry of despair and dived towards it, afraid that the glow meant something negative.

As he went forward, the crystal exploded.

But the Hermione that came out wasn't the one that had gone after Harry in Riddle Mansion.

This was the Hermione that had been under Malfoy's spells.

Ron, who had, bless him, been overwhelmed with joy at seeing his best friend and his girlfriend awake again, jumped and pulled her into a kiss.

This wasn't a good idea.

Hermione had whipped out her wand and growled, "Touch me again, Weasley, and I'll kill you."

She spat on the floor and walked out, leaving a very shocked Ron and Ginny in the room, and a very determined Harry right behind her.

Walking out of the room, she never noticed the black silhouette behind her, until a voice said calmly, "Stupefy."

"She's under spells, I _told_ you two..." said Harry, to Ginny and Ron who had just come out of the room after him.

"Never mind that, how do we stop it?"

"I don't know... we wait for Snape... we need some Veritaserum... she would have to tell us what Malfoy put on her and we can find counterspells..."

"Snape won't be back for a few days!" exclaimed Ginny.

"No one else knows how to brew it besides..."

"Hermione," both Ron and Ginny finished for him.

"Oh! I have an idea!" exclaimed Ginny.

"What?"

"Use legilimency!"

"On who?" asked Ron.

"Hermione, you troll! Harry can find out how to brew Veritaserum from Hermione's memories..."

"Or I could just find out what she knows using Legilimency?" smirked Harry.

"Shut up, Potter."

But by then, Harry had already bent over Hermione's scantily clad body, and muttered, "Ennervate."

"Petrificus Totalus," said Ron.

Hermione's body went stiff again, but her eyes still open.

"Legilimens!"

Harry sunk into Hermione's memories. It was fragmented, unclear, but it was enough.

_Hermione crept slowly through the door, only to feel a strong arm bind her by the neck almost immediately._

_"Ahh... what do we have here? A little mudblood... why what are you doing here? Looking for something? Someone maybe?"_

_Hermione was determined not to let Harry down._

_She stuttered, "I... I came to try and defeat Lord Voldemort!" _

_The unrecognized voice laughed._

_She shuddered as she felt hands feel her in places she most definitely did not want to be touched._

_"Who... who are you?"_

_"Why... don't you remember me? I remember you... my mudblood."_

_It was a voice from a long time ago._

_Hermione remembered. _

_It was Draco Malfoy._

The memory changed again.

_In bed._

_Next to Draco Malfoy._

_Been there for an hour._

Harry shuddered. The mental image was disgusting.

_Had to get to Harry... _

_"Come here, Granger... you know I think we could get to know each other better after all... you are good for a mudblood you know?"_

_She had slapped him._

_And then her world was dominated. Shook apart. _

_All she knew was _him_. And it wasn't the '_him' _she wanted to think about. Blonde hair replaced red, a sneer replaced a smile, cold grey eyes replaced warm blue ones. _

_Everything else was merely a passing blur._

_Must tell Harry... watch gone... no protection... no way out..._

Another memory.

_Knife. Blood. Pain..._

And everything went blank.

"It was Malfoy."

"We know that, haven't you found out anything useful?"

"Yes... exactly what Malfoy said... a love potion, a confundus curse, an imperius curse, entrancement charm... but there was something else."

"What?"

"Something dark..."

"WHAT?"

"He did some blood magic."

"What does that mean?"

"Draco Malfoy... he put blood in... I think it was Veela blood..."

"So?" said Ron.

"Don't you ever pay attention in class, Ron?" scolded Ginny, apparently taking up Hermione's role.

"What class, Ginny?"

Harry had cringed slightly, but Ginny went on, unabashed.

"Veela blood spreads through your body like a virus... if you drink it, or get it into a wound, it stays in your body until it multiplies to a certain extent - until a person reaches his or her limit in holding extra magical cells."

"So?" Ron repeated. "So I have a gorgeous looking girlfriend, what's the problem?"

"Veela can cast very complicated love charms... the problem is they're very weak to love charms themselves too."

"So are you saying Draco Malfoy... are you saying that Hermione's in love with MALFOY?"

"More and more each day."

"Oh I'm GLAD you didn't kill him Harry, cause now I'm going to rip him limb from limb, rip out his heart, revive him, and do it all over again!" shouted Ron, kicking an antique chair. It splintered against the wall, legs torn apart.

"What do we do about Hermione?"

Ron's voice turned stony.

"Keep her under the curse. Don't want her running back to Malfoy with all of our secrets, do we?"

"How could you say that Ron?"

"She's not herself. I don't understand why she wasn't strong enough to fight, for us, for me. I would've never succumbed had I been in her situation."

His voice was still stony, unemotional.

"She failed me, she failed _us_. I don't understand why. I would do anything, give anything for her. Why didn't she do the same for me? I love her, but does she not love me?"

His voice started breaking. Harry felt it not wise to point out that Hermione probably did try to fight against Malfoy's curses, and it wasn't her fault she was like this, it was his for forgetting his watch.

"Why should I live when the woman I love won't even fight for me anymore? What is the purpose?"

His voice turned to a whisper.

"Why should _I_ fight Voldemort when I have nothing to look forward to if the day we win comes?"

Harry was amazed. He had never known Ron could speak with such charisma.

More amazing still, Ron's words had done the trick.

Hermione broke all of the curses.

For him.

She sprung up.

Her eyes were still amethyst colored, but it could not be clearer that Ron was the only one occupying the orbs of light. All sources of Draco Malfoy's curses were gone.

"For us, Ron," she whispered.

"Hermione?"

She ran into his arms.

Looking taken aback for just one second, Ron returned her embrace.

"I love you," Ron whispered.

"I love you more."

"Impossible."

"Get a room, you two!" called Harry, laughing merrily.

Ginny had tears of joy in her eyes. She smacked Harry on the arm playfully and then burst into laughter too, hugging each one of them, and running out of the room, howling.

As Ginny left the room, the three long-time friends looked at each other with fondness. They engulfed each other in a group hug.

They did not need words to convey their happiness at getting Hermione back.

She knew.

"Thanks," said Harry to Hermione. "Thanks for coming after me to Riddle Mansion... it meant a lot to me..."

"Couldn't have stopped me," replied Hermione.

They smiled.

Ron and Hermione then shared whispered words, and Ron also started smiling.

In the midst of all the war, three friends had found the value of their friendship yet again, after being reminded what it would be like without one of them there. Harry finally didn't feel like he was a third wheel anymore.

This was a moment of friendship, the hug purely platonic, even between Ron and Hermione.

Even Ginny's presence had not quite made it to such a level of fluid understanding that these three had for each other. They went through every adventure together. They understood each other as if they were an extension of each other.

In a sense, they really were.

They were the three companions... no...

They were the Trio.

They would gladly die for each other, and each one of them knew it.

They smiled at each other as they broke apart.

It was two days since Hermione was released from the crystal, and she was going over useful information she had retrieved from Draco's mind, in a partial Order meeting. In the two days she had been up and about, the changes the Veela blood had caused were becoming more and more apparent. Her eyes grew slightly larger, her hair gone straight. All in all, she was becoming unrecognizable as the girl that once had large front teeth, untamable hair, and a nose buried in books the whole day long, although she still read as much as she did before. It looked like she was going to become full veela anytime soon. Harry and Ginny greatly enjoyed the sport of teasing Ron, waving their hands in front of his eyes that had always seemed to glaze when looking at Hermione. She, Hermione, had enjoyed the attention, but was starting to get slightly frustrated with him, as he wasn't able to string two words together when talking to her.

"When Draco had be under the imperius curse, I could also delve into his mind, although of course I couldn't control him... I found out that there is a way into Riddle Mansion other than the foolish way in, the front doors."

Hermione waved her wand around, and a miniature image of Riddle Mansion appeared in the air, 3D and rotating slowly on the spot.

She waved her wand, and arrows flew past.

Harry understood first. The foundations of the mansion.

"Pure marble," Hermione said. "The purpose of this is to give the Mansion a solid foundation and stability against the hurricanes around La Havre. We can penetrate like so..."

With another wave of her wand, and complicated squiggles, Harry saw that it led straight into the furthest down Dungeon.

"From there, strike teams can be sent to assassinate Draco... I mean Voldemort."

Ron gave her a piercing stare, but she stared right back at him.

Somehow, Ron was the one to blush yet again.

Veela powers sure kicking in, Harry thought.

"Excellent, Granger," said Snape. "Do you mind if we store this in Dumbledore's pensieve?"

"Of course not, Professor."

Snape swept out of the room.

God, even Snape is being nice to her, Harry thought.

Ron was still blushing, and looking anywhere but at Hermione's eyes.

Harry had no idea what Ron was so nervous about, when he looked at Hermione, he felt nothing different at all, besides for that he was kind of freaked out by the eye color. The veela powers didn't seem to have any effect on anyone else besides for Ron at all.

He supposed that what Ron felt about Hermione was similar to what he felt about Ginny. But he quickly crossed it out. His and Ginny's relationship definitely wasn't based on lust alone.

He watched her, with semi-detached consciousness, as she curled up on the closest armchair to the fire, although it was now early April, and it wasn't cold at all. She had her eyes closed and she looked totally innocent - so unlike the fiery spirit that she really was when awake.

Harry knew she hated being seen as little, and unable to take care of herself.

He, more than many (perhaps not the Weasley twins who had always gotten their share of hexes when teasing their youngest sister), knew that she was nothing like that at all.

Yes, Ginny was beautiful, but Harry loved her not just for that. He surely didn't just love her for her looks, although they were a massive added bonus. He loved her for her spirit, how fun she was to be with.

Ron didn't seem to care about any spirit nonsense, as he stared hungrily at Hermione, when she was immersed in a book. Ron had a wide grin across his face.

The boy really had a thing for part Veela, thought Harry.

New eyes, same thirst for reading with them.

"Potter," Moody growled.

"Yes?"

"Its time for another visit to the muggles... they just lost another battle... an a big 'un..."

"I'll be there in a minute."

Moody nodded and walked out of the room to find Snape.

Harry leaned over and kissed Ginny, who looked like she had fallen asleep.

But as soon as his lips grazed her cheek, a smile came across her face.

"Cheat," whispered Harry.

"You're the cheat," said Ginny crossly, "That wasn't even a real kiss!"

Harry bent down again, and pulled away at the last second.

"That's all you'll get for now!" he said cheekily, and ducking a slap, he ran out of the room.

Harry swept through the battle stricken muggle Headquarters, Moody and Snape behind him.

When they reached the General's office, they were immediately recognized and allowed in by the dozen men guarding the doors.

As Harry stepped in, he saw that it wasn't just the General alone. There were six other people there, one of them Harry recognized as a member of the royal family, and five other people who looked very important.

"Ah, Mr. Potter again. Wonderful to see you."

Snape coughed.

A few weeks ago they had been hopelessly arrogant, now Harry suspected they were fully ready to do whatever he asked of them.

"We've been er... considering your offers from before, and we can safely say that we will provide what you need... and more if you need it..."

Harry glanced at Snape again. The man looked like he was having trouble stopping himself from gloating.

"Okay, General. What do you have to propose?" said Harry, trying to be courteous.

He didn't expect such an answer as was followed.

"Everything we've got."

Harry barely stopped himself from gasping.

"Eight hundred tanks, thirty-five thousand infantry, and the whole of the Royal Air Force."

Harry did gasp then.

"Well, see Mr. Potter, we want this man dead. And we truly believe now that you are the man to do that. A battalion of troops came back from the assault on the Buckingham Palace yesterday, saying they threw grenades and shot at this snake-like man, and even seeing their grenades hit target and their shells zoom towards him, the man still stood, unhurt... You say that you are the one that can defeat him. Let's hope you are. You have our support. Do you have a first target?"

"Yes... Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

The General saluted Harry.

"It shall be done. Call upon us when you feel need."

"Thank you, General... and... I won't let you down."

And so it was that Harry, Snape and Moody apparated out of the Headquarters back to Grimmauld Place feeling a whole lot more optimistic than they did before. The muggles now fought with them.

Hundreds of miles away, Lucius Malfoy awoke with a snap.

Miraculously, he remembered.

Everything.

Including who did this to him.


	20. Chapter 20

_Potter._

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Twenty-One - Standstill

"You won't believe what just happened... the muggles just pledged ALL of their support against Voldemort!" cried Moody, looking strangely giddy, which made his scarred face twist into an even more grotesque shape.

Harry had never seen the old auror act like that at all - he thought it was rather out of character - he must've believed the muggles' help would sure help a lot.

"Excellent!" cried a few people.

Snape, however turned to Hermione, looking slightly ashamed of himself or something.

He cleared his throat. "Um... Miss Granger, if you would... that is to say, will you help organize an attempt to take back Hogwarts? The Order, as you heard, believe it is a pivotal point in turning the war back to our favor... I, that is to say, we, believe you one of the er... _brightest _minds we have... we could use your help. We have not much time to lose, should the muggle General lose faith in us..."

"Of course I'll help! I love Hogwarts as much as any one of you do, and I'll do my part in trying to take it back," said Hermione, smiling at Snape.

Gosh, even Snape is being nice to her, thought Harry.

Harry almost laughed at the furious expression on Ron's face as Hermione followed Snape out of the room to help with the plan.

Ron stomped out of the living room after them, leaving Harry and Ginny alone again.

Silly git, thought Harry. Does he really think SNAPE is competition for him and Hermione? Must be out of his mind - who on earth would pair Snape with Hermione? (A/N: err... Sorry to those shippers who actually do P)

Harry did actually burst into laughter, as Ron stomped back in, grabbed his wand, and stomped right out again.

"Good news about the muggles eh?" offered Harry, turning to Ginny, thinking he sounded a bit off.

"Never mind that. I think there's something wrong with Hermione..."

"What, she's part Veela now? She's bound to change a bit, even if it is just physically - but honestly, I think it's going to tamper with her brain a bit too..."

"Oh... that would explain the makeup!" exclaimed Ginny, her cheeks flushing.

Harry was going to make a skeptical comment about makeup and Hermione, and how the two were not totally independent, but he decided against it.

"Speaking of makeup, what do you have on your lips now?" asked Harry instead, moving closer to her with a grin across his face.

Ginny also stepped closer tantalizingly; licking those lips that Harry was staring hungrily at.

"Nothing at all."

Harry continued staring at her moist lips for what felt like an eternity and found himself bending down towards them, sliding his arms around her. He was about to close his eyes and let himself go when Ginny pulled away at the last second.

"Now you know how it feels!" said Ginny with a dazzling smile, and ran out of the room, leaving a very shocked and very lusting Harry standing there with his mouth open, dumbstruck.

After he got over his initial shock, he chuckled.

Little Ginny Weasley.

Who would've thought that it would turn out like this?

Not, I, thought Harry. Not I.

Hermione Granger sat poring over plans, day in and day out.

Images flashed through her brilliant mind.

_Blood was sapped out of her body._

_Cold._

_Pain._

_Desperation, as her mind started to go dizzy._

_And it was pumped back in, the life force of all creatures alike._

_It was warmer than before._

_More pleasant._

_She felt powerful, yet powerless at the same time._

_She felt more... what was it, an enjoyment for life?_

_Everything was simple. _

_Life's purpose was to find love and live happily ever after._

Delusions, Hermione thought to herself.

_Pure, unfiltered passion._

_His blonde hair flew through her mind. _

_His cold, magical eyes, unlike the old grey ones Hermione had seen for six years._

_His aura of darkness, a sense of danger and excitement that she fed off of, that she loved._

All spell induced, she reminded herself.

_Harry Potter's vibrant green eyes, a memory of the past, stared straight at her._

_They pierced into her soul, like a drill digging through soft soil._

_But beyond soil there was a hard core._

_And it could not be broken._

_For she was lost._

_She was Draco's._

_Forever._

_She would become Mrs. Malfoy. _

_She would become the mother of his children._

_A title that she would enjoy._

Hermione shuddered, all the while trying to concentrate on the plans.

_And then the words from her loved one..._

_"...Keep her under the curse. Don't want her running back to Malfoy with all of our secrets, do we?"_

_"How could you say that Ron?" came Harry's voice._

_"She's not herself. I don't understand why she wasn't strong enough to fight, for us, for me. I would've never succumbed had I been in her situation."_

_His voice was still stony, unemotional._

_"She failed me, she failed us. I don't understand why. I would do anything, give anything for her. Why didn't she do the same for me? I love her, but does she not love me?"_

_His voice had broken then, shattering her heart with it._

_"Why should I live when the woman I love won't even fight for me anymore? What is the purpose?" _

_His voice turned to a whisper._

_"Why should I fight Voldemort when I have nothing to look forward to if the day we win comes?"_

_Those words devoid of hope, yet filled to the brim with emotion shattered the hard steel core that Draco had built in her heart._

_And she was freed._

_She knew then that no matter how many curses, spells, and befuddlements were placed upon her, her heart could not truly belong to anyone but Ron Weasley._

Hermione Granger looked into the mirror on the sides of the walls, and finding an amethyst-eyed dark-haired beauty staring back at her.

This wasn't her, she thought.

But it was. This was the new Hermione.

She knew she should be upset about all that had happened.

She was, for the most part, but there was a strange layer of happiness that prevented her from going into tears at the mere thought of it.

She really should read up about Veela, and she would've gladly done so had there not been such an important task at hand.

She turned her eyes back to the Hogwarts invasion plans.

But memories plagued her.

_"You know, for a while back then, I doubted why Potter and Weasley put up with you... but now, I realize that even scarhead there would appreciate _this

_She slapped him._

_"Isn't it nice when breakfast bites back," chuckled Draco._

The layer of happiness seemed to puncture all of a sudden and she found herself teary-eyed.

Why did he do that?

Why her?

_Because I was the one who was caught, _thought Hermione to herself.

_Imagine it had been Ron._

She laughed aloud at the thought of it.

But what if the little bastard was actually a homosexual and the same thing _did _happen to Ron. He would've fought like a cornered madman! But no one deserved the torture and humiliation Malfoy had put her through.

Looking back, she thought should she had been a bit smarter, a bit stronger, it wouldn't have happened at all.

Hermione sighed.

At Christmas, four months ago, she had told Harry that he was her brother, and she was his sister.

Now she somewhat looked it.

It was a ludicrous idea, but it was true. She had always had nearly the same eye shape as Harry's, but none of the vitality and deepness of his eyes - hers was a boring brown. But now, as she looked into the mirror again, she saw that her eyes were pretty beautiful. Her hair had gone silky and darker, almost black, and her skin had started to pale and shine.

This was exactly what she had wanted when she had been a little child.

To have the look of a queen, the elegance, the posture that everyone admired.

Instead she got a bookworm's posture from her love for books and learning - a love that not many people of her age appreciated or understood.

She giggled softly to herself as she thought about the changes.

Even her voice had changed slightly, sounding more girlish and less bossy than before.

Almost bubbly, she thought.

Was this what she would've wanted if she could do it all over again?

She hadn't, in essence, saved Harry at all, no it was her that needed saving in the end.

Absently, her mind flickered back to Draco Malfoy.

That bastard did this to her.

She was meant to be his slave, his doll.

But Ron had helped her break his curses.

For some reason, she found that funny.

She giggled again.

Hermione Granger did not like giggling - she dubbed it silly and quite vain, something only bimbos like Parvati Patil would do.

But she found that it was quite okay, the sound of a giggle, she pondered, as she listened to the sound escape from her own throat.

What was happening to her?

Something good, she thought to herself.

She looked back into the mirror again.

Her eyes sparkled, her hair caught the flickering candlelight.

And behind her was a red-headed, long nosed, freckled someone.

Ron Weasley.

She giggled again.

She jumped at him nimbly, landing straight into his arms, in the process scattering some of the plans she had been working on.

She gave him a heart-stopping kiss, summoning all her growing Veela powers to make him feel passion like he'd never felt before.

As she closed her eyes, a million images of Draco flashed though her mind. But at the end, Ron's presence drove it all away again.

She would forget.

It wasn't anywhere as bad as what Harry had gone through.

She would be strong.

As she opened her eyes, she saw Ron's familiar face.

_And she had Ron to help her through anything and everything._

Just like that, the thought of Draco was blown away like a leaf in a windstorm.

She broke away from Ron, gasping for breath.

Hermione looked into the mirror one last time.

Those gem-like eyes, the dark, straight hair.

Through it all, she could still see the bushy-haired, brown-eyed girl, who loved books, hated Quidditch, loved Ron Weasley, and hated Draco Malfoy.

No matter what happened to her, she'd always be Hermione Granger.

Nothing could change that.

Not even Draco Malfoy.

No doubts about it.

This time as she looked away from the mirror, she smiled.

"It's done."

"What's done?"

"The plans to take back Hogwarts... they're finished," said a drained looking Hermione Granger, plopping down on the sofa next to Harry, who was playing a game of chess with Ron, Ginny watching closely.

Harry looked up from his game.

"Can I see?"

"Snape has them, he'll show everyone them tonight at the meeting."

"When are we going to put the plan into action?"

"As soon as possible - we'll need at least a few days to rally our forces, and I daresay the muggles will need just as long, if not longer to rally their own."

"So what are we going to do?" asked Ron, not looking at Hermione, his brow furrowed, staring at the chessboard.

"I told you, you'll find out tonight," said Hermione, yawning and curling up on the sofa, closing her eyes.

"But Hermione, can't you just tell us a BIT?"

"No, Ron."

"Why?"

"Because I'm tired."

"Oh that's a load of..."

"Checkmate," said Harry, grinning.

In Ron's distraction he had moved his king right to the corner, where Harry, with one move of his queen, had him trapped.

"Oh... my...GOD!" squealed Ginny.

"I...I... what? Checkmate? But you... but I... But-but-but..."

"I told you I'd beat you one day..." smiled Harry.

"But no... it was because... I..."

Hermione opened an eye.

Ron turned red again, as he stared and stared at her.

Ginny giggled.

"Give it a rest mate, you've beat me for seven years, it's about time I took a match,"

Ron nodded to himself, muttering under his breath, his ears still red.

Ginny led Ron out of the living room and up the staircase, shooting Harry an exasperated glance as she went, rolling her eyes.

Ron really could be so childish.

After all, war was coming.

What was a chess game's outcome when the fate of the world could be decided the next few days?

Not much.

It seemed lately that not much mattered at all.

There was life and happiness on one side, and there was death and misery on another.

It was their responsibility to pull the world back to the former.

"Cho, it's me, Harry. We need you..."

"Luna, hi, it's Ginny here, its time..."

"Ernie, it's Hermione Granger... remember me? The thing is..."

"Hi Neville, it's Ron Weasley here, come down here for a sec..."

It was a busy day, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and many other members of the Order like Tonks and Kingsley were calling out everyone they knew to join in the massive assault on Hogwarts, Voldemort's now most guarded fortress, much more crowded than Riddle Mansion. They broadcasted using a telephone like floo-system that involved transporting one's words to another's fireplace instantly, much like a telephone does.

By nightfall however, they had assembled their forces. Grimmauld Place was crowded full of old Hogwarts students, all the members of the Order, Aurors from the ministry, and basically anyone that was brave enough to come.

All that was left to do was wait for the General to call.

The telephone rang two mornings later, hours before the sunrise.

No one but the muggle general would call by the telephone.

"Hello?" said Harry as he picked up the phone.

"We're ready to move out. We'll be at rendezvous point at 0600."

"Excellent, General, we will be there."

"Sonarus," Harry muttered.

"EVERYONE GET READY TO GO! WE'RE DUE IN THREE HOURS!"

And afterwards, a loud voice hollered, "HARRY! From outside."

Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron ran to open the doors.

What they saw amazed them.

It was Hagrid.

And behind him were the giants.

And from the looks of it, it was every last giant left in Britain.

Cho Chang had been reading the Daily Prophet, reporting yet another attack on the muggles by Lord Voldemort, when Harry's voice rang from the fireplace.

It was a voice she had not heard since her last year at Hogwarts, when Harry had made it clear to her that they were nothing but friends anymore, as she tried to seduce him in the Ravenclaw Common Room.

She had felt so lonely then, so needing of a partner to share her burdens with, and Harry Potter seemed like the perfect shoulder to cry on.

After all, they already had a history together, and they knew that they had already established feelings for each other at one point, to reignite the flames wouldn't be that hard.

Secretly, she still did have some feelings for Harry, despite their many breakups and fights, and her series of relationships afterwards.

She had reckoned she could banish the heart-stoppingly gorgeous Parvati Patil from his heart, after all, if Cho Chang tried to spend a lot of time dazzling herself up, she could just as easily seduce Harry.

It had worked, but she had reckoned without the little girl sister of his best friend, Ginny Weasley. She had talked to him, and she found weeks of careful seduction made useless by a few words from the red-headed girl.

Cho had wondered if they had gotten together yet.

She, in her heart of hearts, knew although she had been beaten out of Harry Potter by this girl who didn't even try, that Ginny Weasley was the one for him.

She left Hogwarts bidding Harry well, although still slightly spiting Ginny Weasley.

It was all a matter of time before they got together, she had said.

And upon her arrival at Grimmauld Place, her brother and father in tow, she had found that she was right.

In the living room, relaxing on the leather sofas was Harry and Ginny, who were snuggling together, laughing about something. They looked so natural and happy, despite the evil situations she knew they must've been through.

As she saw Harry get up and wave at her, she knew that she had said the right thing before.

Harry and Ginny really were meant to be.

And she, Cho, would do nothing to try and break them apart. She truly felt happy for them, all memories of her former relationship with Harry out of the way.

As she smiled at Harry, offering her congratulations about Ginny, he smiled back at her.

"Thanks," he had said.

She would always remember Harry... after all, how could anyone forget him?

It would be her fairy tale story to children of her own one-day.

She had dated Harry Potter... not many could say that!

And she was still his friend, an honor that she felt she really didn't deserve.

If the war was won, and if she was still alive, it would be a tale worth telling indeed.

She looked into those tortured green eyes, just slightly longingly, one last time.

She tore her eyes away.

And then she knew she had closure.

"You're welcome."

Ginny was nervous.

If anything Hermione had told her was like what it sounded like, the upcoming battle would be massive.

Thousands of troops on either side.

She stood in Hogsmeade, side by side with her family.

A bit further away stood Harry and Hermione, going over last minute strategies.

And then the muggles arrived.

Jets came roaring in, so loud that Ginny couldn't hear anything but them.

Tanks came rolling around the remains of Hogsmeade.

And behind them was the river of troops.

The muggles had come.

Watching them with interest, Ginny saw that they had all lined up in formation.

The engines went dead.

No one spoke, wizard nor muggle.

No one even moved, as every last camouflaged soldier stood, saluting their General, who was himself came out a jet.

They all looked to Harry at the beckoning of the General.

All the wizards were also focused on him.

No longer there were the warm, loving eyes Ginny cared about.

Every last part of Harry's stature was one of a war veteran.

He stood with his back straight and unyielding, his eyes flaring, his lips thin.

The General spoke.

"Do we have a name for our alliance?"

"How about 'The Bonding'," voiced Snape.

Several people started snickering, and Snape, surprisingly, turned red, and looked away.

All eyes turned to Harry.

It was clear that the question was initially intended for him.

Harry waited a few seconds before he spoke.

"Yes, General..."

Everyone was focused on him.

"Dumbledore's Army."

Cho Chang, Ernie MacMillan, Luna Lovegood, Michael Corner, Terry Boot, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Zacharias Smith, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Susan Bones, Lee Jordan, Parvati and Padma Patil, Lavender Brown, Anthony Goldstein, Fred, George, Ginny, and Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter all smiled reminiscently at this.

She, Ginny, was also amazed that nearly all of the members of the DA had turned up for the upcoming battle.

Ginny sighed.

Dumbledore's Army.

It was a name from a lifetime ago.

It was a name that brought confidence to those who knew who Dumbledore was, and brought a strange feeling of pride to those who did not.

It was a name that Ginny herself had once thought of.

And as Harry turned and looked straight at her, she smiled and nodded solemnly.

It was a name that was perfect for the situation, a crusade to take back what was theirs.

The General barked orders to his men.

And Dumbledore's Army marched to Hogwarts.

It could be seen, still in the darkness, as Dumbledore's Army approached and surrounded Hogwarts.

The wizards chanted.

The muggles could now see the school, in all its glory, with a Dark Mark hanging like a poisonous cloud above.

The sun had started to rise.

The army stopped yet again.

Everything was silent, besides for the engines of the vehicles.

Men, planes, tanks, trolls, dementors, giants all alike halted.

Death Eaters had already stood positioned at windows and at the Front Door.

It was a solemn moment.

White light filled the skies.

Harry Potter walked up to the front of the ranks.

All eyes were on the Boy-who-Lived again.

Twilight shone upon Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

History would be made.

Fortuna meowed on Harry's shoulder.

Through the darkness of it all, a fire lit within the soul of Harry Potter.

He was home.

Hogwarts.

Time to take it back.

On the opposite side of Hogwarts, a ginger colored mysticat returned his meow.

It was a sign, a symbol of unity within Dumbledore's Army.

And then, one word, spoken in a deadly voice, started it all.

"Attack."


	21. Chapter 21

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Twenty-Two - Turning the Tide

_**The turning point of a battle is when one soldier decides that he will not give up. - Excerpt from 'Soldier'**_

_"Attack," Harry had said._

The word echoed through the hollowed halls like a foghorn.

It was the call of war.

And so the battle began.

Jets zipped through the air, shooting flurries of bullets from machine guns, nailing many of the Death Eaters positioned at windows.

Giants headed the ground assault along with tanks, bashing a massive hole where the front doors used to be.

Most of the wizards had started dueling with the Death Eaters that poured out of the blasted hole.

The elite team of old students, consisting of Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Luna, and Neville snuck through a side entrance.

Their mission was to hit the Death Eaters at the front doors from the back, hopefully breaking through the ranks, allowing muggle infantry and wizard forces to enter.

They could only send six of them as any more would attract attention.

Harry led the little team of six, turning his head slightly to look down a corridor.

"Summune Invisibility Cloak," he whispered.

The silvery cloak appeared in his hand.

"Ron and Ginny first... teleport the cloak back when you get to that pillar there... when we are all there, two of us keep the cloak on during the attack..."

Ron and Ginny nodded, and swinging the cloak over them, disappeared.

Harry saw them reappear a minute later behind a big steel pillar, just ten meters away from the Death Eaters piled at the front doors.

All of a sudden, the invisibility cloak flew to his hands again.

"Nev, Luna, you guys next," whispered Hermione, taking the cloak from Harry's hands and tossing it to Neville.

"Harry... I have something... I need to tell you..."

"Can't it wait, Hermione?"

The invisibility cloak once again found itself in Harry's hands.

"Something's changing in me..." whispered Hermione as Harry swung the invisibility cloak over them.

Her eyes no longer looked confident, but scared, tears welling up in her eyes.

"What? Is it the veela changes?"

"I think so... I... when this battle started, a strange... a feeling went through me... it was like something prying to get out..."

"What are you trying to say..."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ginny waving urgently in the direction he and Hermione were.

"I think I was about to become the monster side of a veela!" she whispered, choking out the word monster.

He turned and stared at Hermione, whose bright eyes were shining, pleading with him to not be disgusted.

He wasn't.

"We'll talk about this later Hermione. Don't worry. I don't think any less of you because of it - after all, the bad has got to come with the good, doesn't it? And there's a lot of good to balance out there," he said, winking at her.

She smiled.

And huddling closer together, they started off to Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville.

As they arrived, Harry whipped off the cloak and handed it to Ron and Ginny.

"Harry..." started Hermione.

Five pairs of eyes snapped to her.

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

The other four looked baffled, Ron shooting a suspicious glance at Harry.

"Let's go," said Harry.

"On the count of three?" suggested Ron, sweeping the cloak over himself and Ginny.

"One..." started Harry.

"Two..." added Ginny from under the cloak.

"THREE!" they all shouted, and burst out behind the pillar.

"TRIXTONIA!" bellowed Harry, getting out the first curse, sending ten Death Eaters flying out of the front doors, straight into a barrage of bullets.

The Death Eaters now started to turn their attention to both sides, the wizards caught between crossfire.

Neville and Luna proved to have much more grit than Harry could remember, disarming and stunning more Death Eaters than an average adult wizard could've managed.

Ginny and Ron must've looked pretty strange to the Death Eaters, an orange net shooting out of midair to deflect their curses, and many of them were now falling prey to the invisible brother and sister.

Neville and Luna eventually got separated from Harry and Hermione, in the midst of the fray being driven back outside.

But Harry saw a chance.

"TRIXTONIA!" he cried again, this time blasting a hole big enough in the ranks of the Death Eaters.

The wizards and muggles alike, with a savage war cry, ran for the front doors, firing their guns and spells at whatever stood in their way, Harry and Hermione only barely avoiding some shots. One stunning spell would've smacked Hermione straight in the chest had it not been for Fortuna, who had jumped from Harry to Hermione and deflected the light with a meow.

Harry saw the thousands of corpses littered outside.

They had succeeded in their mission... but whether it was fast enough he didn't know.

The Hogwarts doors were breached. The resistance now entered Hogwarts, with the air squadron outside prepared to gun down anyone trying to escape.

"GO, GO, GO!" shouted a muggle captain, and a battalion of soldiers headed off to the left side of Hogwarts.

"THIS WAY!" roared Snape and McGonagall, leading another battalion of wizards to the right.

Harry knew it was his signal.

"FOLLOW ME!" he shouted, beckoning his squadron of troops, and ran straight for the Great Hall.

There are times in life in which one was to be considerate of other people's property, and of consequences of your actions. But now certainly wasn't it.

"MAXIMUS REDUCTO!" he bellowed, blasting the doors of the Great Hall wide open.

He sprinted into the Death Eater filled Great Hall, a hundred or so wizards and a thousand muggles behind him.

Voldemort was nowhere in sight, but there was about three hundred Death Eaters in the Great Hall, firing off killing curses freely, cutting holes into the ranks of Harry's troops.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, ATTACK!" he cried, exasperated.

Running towards the fray, he yelled, "MULTIPLICUS SERPENSORTIA!"

This time was the most he had ever managed.

About fifty snakes exploded out of his wand, slithering.

_KILL THE DEATH EATERS!_

"PROTEGO!" he cried, as a jet of white light flew towards him.

Again he found himself without his watch nor Fortuna, who had perched on Hermione's shoulders on Harry's intentions - apparently Fortuna could now somewhat read Harry's mind.

"SKELEDESTRUCTO TOTALUS!" he shouted at a particularly large Death Eater, and just paused a second to watch the man crumple, his bones ground into dust.

Out of the people that were doing the most damage, it was clear that it was Hermione, and not Harry. Although Harry made his shots count, it could not be clearer the dangerous side of Hermione's veela blood was kicking in, and doing a lot, a _lot _of damage.

Harry watched, fascinated, almost horrified.

Her eyes were starting to glow a dangerous purple, and her fingernails had extended to long talons. Her hair rippled as if she was standing next to a strong wind.

Apparently Hermione was unaware of what she was doing as she sent a barrage of curses at the Death Eaters with one hand, throwing Veela fireballs that Harry had seen during his fourth year with another.

Her face was sheer battle fury. Hermione was practically invincible at this point, Fortuna blocking all of the spells that anyone aimed at her, and her spells and fireballs scalding anyone that dared come near.

Should a person have told him back in his first year that Hermione Granger would become a part veela that could fight like none Harry had seen before, he would've told the person that they'd had a bit too much to drink, or else they knew a different Hermione Granger.

His time for contemplating fell short however, when a killing curse zipped dangerously close to him.

Whipping around, he yelled, "FLIPENDO!"

The attacker flew upwards into a chandelier, coming crashing down, dead.

Harry now ran to Ginny and Ron's aid, as a few Death Eaters were cornering them.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" he cried.

A wand flew into the air.

"DIFFINDO!"

The wand split, splinters littering the floor.

The Death Eater turned around and stared at Harry.

Not smart.

"SKELEDESTRUCTO!" he yelled, aiming for the man's torso.

It hit him straight on, the man collapsing.

"Thanks, mate," Ron said, before turning his back and stunning a Death Eater that was approaching him.

Harry nodded, and now ran for Hermione.

No person should stand alone in a battle, Harry had learnt long ago. If one got hurt, no one would know where you were.

Hermione didn't look like one that would be hurt, rather one that would be hurting other people. She was surrounded by five wizards, but the five were the ones that looked worried. She was still in a fury, Harry could almost feel emotion radiate from Hermione like light and heat from the sun.

Harry came over and relieved some of her burdens.

"TRIXTONIA!" he roared.

The shockwave spell was becoming to be his specialty, he could now hit specific targets easily, blasting them further than the 'flipendo' spell, and temporarily deafening them.

Three of Hermione's attackers were blasted into the wall, where they fell unconscious.

Harry saw Hermione pocket her wand and throw two fireballs at each remaining attacker, hitting them both in the stomach.

The Death Eaters let out a cry and burnt to his fiery death, his flesh being roasted alive.

Hermione, in her victory, started to lose some of the sharpness in her face, although her eyes were still alight and her fingernails long and golden, like a bird's talons.

"All right there, my favorite sister?" Harry yelled towards her, whilst dodging a stunning spell cast at him.

"All right, my favorite brother," she grinned back at him, still apparently unaware of the changes that had taken her. (A/N: For those of you who don't like how I just did that, tough. I'm going to anyway.)

Within a few more minutes, the Death Eaters still standing were forced into a corner.

Harry smirked. It was his turn to try out the line he had heard so many times.

"Drop your wands and put your hands in the air, or else you all die right here right now," he growled menacingly.

They dropped their wands.

"ACCIO WANDS," he heard Ginny shout.

"Multiplicus Diffindo," Ron said afterwards.

The wands snapped.

"Serpensortia Prisone," Harry said.

The wizards now had snakes surrounding them, choking them, tying them. The spell Dumbledore had taught Harry was useful indeed - only he could free them.

"Stupefy," many wizards then shouted, stunning the prisoners.

"Take em down to the dungeons, you and your men, corporal," said Harry briskly, and walked out of the Great Hall, his five friends behind him.

"But I'm not a corporal," said the befuddled muggle as he watched the Boy-who-Lived walk out of the magical, corpse-strewn Great Hall.

Lord Voldemort was in a rage.

As he dueled with countless wizards, killing them all, his worthless Death Eaters had been defeated all over, by mere muggles and a small fraction of wizards.

He let out a roar of rage.

He knew that there was no point in holding Hogwarts if he was to be the only man left.

He sighed, as he knocked Kingsley Shacklebolt flying through a window and out of Hogwarts, to fall to his death should he not have been killed on impact with the glass.

Grabbing a nearby Death Eater, he pressed his finger on the Dark Mark.

"Retreat," he hissed.

He grabbed the snake amulet around his neck, and blasting about twenty more wizards with a single wave of his wand, he portkeyed away.

It was best to keep some men alive to live and fight another day.

After all, what good was immortality when there was no one that was impressed, and to serve you faithfully for it?

Not much good at all.

The day had passed so very quickly, tanks shattering walls and rolling into the castle, blasting apart some of the stone walls made centuries ago.

Slowly, but surely, Dumbledore's Army started to crush Voldemort's forces. It was not without cost, as many were killed throughout the day.

Hogwarts would never be the same again.

Nine hours after the victory at the Great Hall, at five o'clock in the afternoon, after fighting a series of exhausting attacks around the school, Harry had found himself moving up to Astronomy Tower, just in time to see Kingsley Shacklebolt, one of the many wizards there, be blasted through a window and out into the skies.

Snape jumped forward to take over Kingsley's duel with Voldemort, but the next thing Harry knew, there was a big explosion, and Voldemort disappeared, and a ring of wizards around him were scattered around the floor, dead.

Many of the other Death Eaters had also disappeared, but Harry, with a yell of, "FLIPENDO!" sent one Death Eater flying into a wall, in which he stunned right away.

Harry was frustrated.

He arrived just too late.

Voldemort got away again, and as long as he still ran free, the war wasn't over.

Now however, wasn't a time to think, as the three cornered Death Eaters were in a frenzy, unable to escape, desperate.

They were being cornered by Snape, Orion, and Moody, slowly but surely losing, when all of a sudden a jet of light smacked Orion straight across the chest, and she flew backwards, before landing at Harry's feet, dead.

Harry ran forward to take her place, Ginny at his heels.

"NO STAY BACK!" he roared.

The Death Eaters were desperate, hurling as many curses as they could towards them.

"FLIPENDO," yelled Harry, smacking a Death Eater straight against the wall, where his skull crushed with a sickening crunch.

Another Death Eater shot an enormous jet of light at Harry.

He jumped out of the way nimbly.

Just as he was about to hurl a stunning spell at the Death Eater, he heard a cry of pain behind him.

Harry whipped around.

When he saw who was hit, he let out a roar of anguish.

Laying in front of him, chest impaled with a massive quivering arrow, blood splattering everywhere, was Ginny Weasley.

"GINNY!" he cried, sprinting for her, Ron and Hermione a few seconds behind him.

Ginny's eyes were closed, her body trembling furiously.

"PULL IT OUT!" he cried.

Hermione, with a wave of her wand, sent the arrow zooming out of Ginny's chest.

She snapped awake with a scream.

"Ginny, hold on... we'll get you out of here, we'll take you to a safe place... you'll be alright..." said Harry, tears welling up in his eyes at the sight of Ginny's suffering.

A small, choked sob from Ginny told him it was an affirmative.

He pulled her bleeding form into his arms, and sprinted with inhuman speed, Ron and Hermione tailing him, down the steep staircase, leaving Moody and Snape to deal with the two kamikaze Death Eaters.

"No... no... this can't be happening," stuttered Harry, tears now blurring his vision, as Ginny groaned in his arms.

_So fragile... so innocent... she can't die... please don't let her die..._

"It hurts, Harry," said Ginny in a pitiful small voice.

A solitary tear fell on Ginny's lips as she said this.

Harry, angrily wiping away the rest of his tears, increased his pace.

"You'll be okay Ginny... I promise."

As Harry sprinted with superhuman speed down the corridor, he searched desperately for the hole with the letters MWPP scratched around it.

"I SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I AM UP TO NO GOOD," he screamed at the hole, whipping his wand inside. He had stuck his wand inside with such a force that it almost snapped, an event that Harry would've regretted enormously had it actually taken place. However, he was in a fever, practically bouncing up and down, clutching Ginny in his arms like a priceless jewel, or a newborn baby.

She was getting weaker and paler by the second.

A stunning spell whizzed past Harry.

He didn't even notice.

It opened, ever so slowly, every second seeming like an eternity, every second could be a second that Ginny would stop holding out, every second a year of torture to Harry as Ginny bled in his arms.

She shivered, and Harry tightened his grip around her, a hand closing over her wound to prevent more blood loss.

Diving through the hole, cradling Ginny in his arms, he sprinted for the fireplace, and softly lay her down on the sofa.

"HERMIONE! HEAL HER!" he cried, tears now filling to the brim of his eye as he watched Ginny breathe slowly, sniffing and letting out sobs in front of him.

Hermione quickly ran at Ginny, pushing Harry out of the way impatiently, and waved her wand, starting to chant various spells.

"Harry... she's dying... blood loss... no charms to... we have to... no time to make a potion... she needs..."

Harry took just a second to contemplate and understand this.

"Take mine," he said in a hollow voice, "As much as she needs."

"And mine," said Ron, stepping up, offering his arm, as if blood was going to be pouring out of it any second all on its own.

"No... mine," said Hermione.

Harry almost snapped at her then, but stopped as Hermione opened her mouth again.

"Veela blood... restorative properties - warmth... what she needs now..."

With that, Hermione, with a wave of her wand, cut open a large slit in her palm, where blood started squirting out like a fountain.

Grimacing with the pain, she moved her palm down to Ginny's wound, and slowly transferred the blood from her to Ginny.

"Harry... Ron... Go help Snape and Moody... They might... GO!" hollered Hermione.

They didn't move.

"Go. They need help," said Hermione, a steely glint in her eye.

"I'm not leaving," said Harry, when Ron had already ran out after kissing Hermione on the cheek, and hugging Ginny and pecking her on the head.

"You are the freaking Boy-who-Lived. They need you out there. GO HARRY!"

Time and time again, people had pecked at his responsibility in order to get him to do something.

"I DON'T WANT TO BE THE BOY-WHO-LIVED! WHAT GOOD IS IT WHEN I CAN'T EVEN STAY WHEN MY OWN GIRLFRIEND AND MY BEST FRIEND ARE LYING THERE, BLEEDING, SUFFERING?"

Hermione stopped for a second, and raised her eyes slowly to Harry's.

Cool amethyst met fiery emerald.

Suddenly, he found himself floating into a web of happiness, a harmonious tune playing softly in the background, his mind emptying. All he knew was he had to walk outside, and go and help Snape and Moody, or else terrible, terrible things would happen.

He found his feet carrying him out of the Marauder's Room.

He had gotten halfway up to the Astronomy Tower when he realized what Hermione just did.

_Dratted Veela powers._

Fuming, Harry sprinted up the Astronomy Tower.

Best get it all over with.

The sight that greeted him wasn't the one he expected.

Slumped in the corner were Moody and Snape, and the Death Eaters were the ones towering above them.

_Damn._

"PARISTRAN MAGICA!" he roared.

The spell smacked straight into a Death Eater, and he felt an awesome surge of power.

That left the last Death Eater there.

He stared into the man's eyes.

It was none other than Macnair, the scum that had tried to kill Buckbeak.

He grinned foolishly.

Harry didn't have time for this little nonsense.

Rage flared through him that he had never known before.

_The bastard shot Ginny._

He walked closer.

The idiot still smiled, and turned to him raising his wand.

Harry, his eyes still alight, did not notice a huge torrent of wind erupt around him as he glared Macnair in the eye, fury radiating from every cell within him.

The smile disappeared, turning into a horrified expression.

_Yes, you should be scared._

"Ssss... st... stupefy!" stuttered Macnair.

The red jet of light disappeared, engulfed by the whirlwind spinning furiously around Harry.

He didn't want to play around anymore.

_THIS BASTARD SHOT GINNY!_

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" he roared.

The jet of bright green light hit Macnair in the stomach.

Harry watched in slow motion as Macnair let out a deep roar as it hit, and Harry watched as his body, still clinging on to life arch backwards.

Cold eyes stared upon Harry as he hurtled towards the stone walls.

The last thing Macnair saw was the fury in Harry Potter's green eyes.

His spirit, which was already leaving his body shook like mad.

Macnair smashed into a windowpane, ripping out its' iron foundations as he flew straight out of the window.

No one in the castle saw him fall, but many people heard it.

Macnair had been blasted all the way to the Forbidden Forest.

And as he fell, he landed neck first onto a sharp boulder.

The sickening crack as the thin bones connecting his skull to his torso snapped.

Anyone who heard it and knew what was the cause of it would remember.

They would remember that no one messes with Harry Potter's girl.

Around Hogwarts, the battle was ending, the muggle soldiers rounding up the last of the Death Eaters that had not managed to escape, or Death Eaters that refused to.

Corpses littered the halls, stained the floor and walls.

The majority of the muggle soldiers and almost half of the wizards and giants had fallen in this long battle. Tanks lay burning in the grounds, and several jets had nosedived to the floor, going up in flames.

But they were successful.

The Death Eaters had nearly been cleansed, only about a hundred of them escaping.

All the dementors and trolls had been vanquished or killed in this battle.

Tanks had blasted away much of the grounds and parts of the castle.

Fighter jets had strewn corpses all over the Hogwarts grounds, which was blood-drenched.

But at the long battle's end, they were successful.

They took back the symbol of hope in the wizarding world.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the once heralded as untouchable, the pride and joy of centuries of Headmasters, great wizards and witches.

It was also Lord Voldemort's strongest fortress.

And it had been felled.

A large horn blew in the distance, signaling the end of the war, and also as a tribute to those that died bravely in the noble fight.

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Ginny Weasley, the two girls supported by Harry and Ron who had escaped practically unscathed besides for a few cuts and bruises, stood at the top of Astronomy Tower.

They surveyed the grounds.

Hogwarts was theirs again... but at a great cost indeed.

Tears of joy and of grief came out of everyone's eyes but Harry Potter's.

In their eyes, the war had now turned to their favor.

In essence, it had.

But the still, the main obstacle lay ahead.

Lord Voldemort still lived.

At the top of the tower, Harry Potter trembled slightly.

He felt the anger and hatred radiate from Lord Voldemort.

He snorted aloud. The hatred was mutual.

Powers from both sides.

Both so strong, so proud.

And they both knew that at the end, only one would stand.

"Your move, Riddle."


	22. Chapter 22

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Twenty-Four - United We Stand

"What in the name of Merlin are you guys doing here?" asked a very confused Ron Weasley at the sight of Neville and Luna in the Great Hall.

Word was that Neville had been taken into Luna's family by her father - they were quite rich, and Neville's grandmother had been abducted by the Death Eaters in one of the earlier campaigns - leaving him with either a choice to leave the country and go to America with his refugee relatives, or else stay in London with Luna.

He chose to stay with Luna, helping her father with writing articles for the Quibbler, which had now served to supply the wizarding population with laughs and rumors. Entertainment was much needed in times of war and suffering.

However, on this day, Neville, Luna, and Luna's father were both standing outside the Great Hall with Snape and McGonagall.

"The house... its flooded..." said Luna sadly.

Her father patted her on the shore consolingly.

Harry noticed that all three of them were soaking wet, Neville shuddering with the cold.

"What's going on here... Neville! Luna! What are you doing here?"

Hermione had just come down the stairs with Ginny, smiling warmly at Neville and Luna.

"We're here because the house has been flooded," repeated Luna.

"Granger, Weasley, Weasley, go in and have your breakfast. Potter, come with us, we have something to show you."

Harry, with a meaningful glance at Ron, left with Snape.

"Potter, a letter arrived for you this morning. Apparently it is not jinxed, as Professors Flitwick, McGonagall, Moody, and myself have tested it for any spells... it seems perfectly safe... besides for its peculiar packaging - would you like to open it?"

"Err... I suppose so," said Harry cautiously.

"It is in Professor McGonagall's office, you may go there now yourself. The password is Animagus, as I'm sure you know. Inform myself or any other Professor if there is any useful information."

"Yes, Professor," said Harry, and walked by himself to McGonagall's office.

On the way, he saw Peeves glide around sullenly, silent and inactive for once. Harry supposed that Peeves must've suffered during Voldemort's reign at Hogwarts - he had been like this for a long time now.

Shaking his head, he said, "Animagus" at the gargoyle and walked into McGonagall's office.

On McGonagall's desk was a black letter with gold rimming around it.

He cautiously moved his hand to open it.

Relieved that nothing had happened, Harry took out an old yellowed piece of parchment out of the envelope.

_Potter. _

_At the Summit lies the Cure. _

_Come get it if you dare._

The letter burst into flames right in front of Harry's eyes.

Harry, frantic to write down what he had just seen, grabbed a piece of parchment lying on McGonagall's desk and a quill, and copied down the short message on the parchment.

He knew this was no childish prank.

This was serious.

"So do you know what this means?" asked Harry.

McGonagall, Snape, and Moody raised a hand to quiet him.

Harry was growing exasperated.

For the last half an hour the three adults had been staring at the parchment, and debating in hushed whispers.

"I believe, Potter, this was from Lord Voldemort himself."

Harry sighed. "Well that much was obvious!"

"Quiet, Potter, ten points from..."

"Hogwarts isn't running right now, Severus," reminded McGonagall.

"Yes... yes... okay..."

"Now this part of the message is intriguing... 'At the Summit lies the Cure'."

Hermione, who had been sitting with Ron and Ginny, whilst Harry paced furiously around the room, spoke up.

"I think its to do with the plague..." she said thoughtfully, "but where is this Summit?"

"The Summit... I thought I'd never hear that phrase again after Albus... well... the Summit is the last earthly link to the Pandemonium Citadel..."

"What's the Pandemonium Citadel then?"

"Hold on, hold on, I'm getting there... now where was I..."

"THE PANDEMONIUM CITADEL!" cried Harry and Ron.

"Right... the Pandemonium Citadel is a surreal place linking our realm to the mysteries of the Unexplored... or as the muggles call it Heaven, or Hell."

"Where is it?"

"No one knows for certain. Rumors are that it lies at the peak of Atlantis..."

"Codswallop," said Moody.

McGonagall gave him an icy stare.

"I've been there myself. It's in the Himalayas."

"And you know this because..."

"Didn't I just tell you? I've been there myself."

"No mortal has..."

"You're lookin' at one right now."

"ENOUGH!" came Snape's voice. "I believe we have the message now. Lord Voldemort is obviously trying to lure Potter to the Summit... and using the cure for the plague as bait..."

"The question is, what do we do?" wondered Hermione.

"We?" asked Harry, whipping around to face Hermione.

"Of course we, what are you thinking, that you're going to go yourself?"

"No one's going until we find out if this is a trap or not..."

"Of course it's a trap!" cried Harry.

"Then you don't go," said Snape, and started to go out of the room.

"No."

Snape turned around.

"We have no choice. Within weeks, the muggle-borns and the muggles will all be dead."

Hermione couldn't help but make a slight offended noise at that.

"Listen here, Potter. You're going to risk your life on Voldemort's word?"

Harry sighed, resigned at the six pairs of eyes glaring at him.

"I suppose not."

But the wheels and cogs in Harry's brain had already started working.

By the cover of the night, he'd leave.

Any way to stop the plague, he would gladly take.

"Dobby. Can you help me?"

"HARRY POTTER, SIR! HARRY POTTER! Dobby was fearing that you would not come back but you has!" cried the house-elf, and immediately cannon-balled into Harry's stomach.

"Dobby. This is urgent. I need a spellbook which has information on how to conjure food."

"Certainly, Harry Potter sir! I is being right back!"

_The Summit is a mysterious place, little known to wizard kind. It is rumored to be the sole gateway to the Pandemonium Citadel, a place heard of only in the great tales of old, a surreal place where spirits pass through on their journey in the afterlife. _

_What is known of the Summit is that it is of incredible danger, both natural and magical hazards, from the diary of General Reneziger of Norway in the Demon Extermination campaigns, written in 239 B.C. _

_There are creatures which are said to have come from another dimension lying at the Summit, and it is said that the sun never shines there..._

_An adventurer by the name of Trevent was the last recorded person to have reached the Summit, although he had gone insane four days after returning. _

_No one has come back alive since. _

Harry shut the book.

It was almost midnight.

Harry had secretly prepared everything he would need for his journey to the Summit, drawing information out of Moody, reading about the herbs that grew in the Himalayas, grabbing his Firebolt, the cookbook from Dobby, the Invisibility Cloak, his wand, Fortuna, magically shrunk and lightened food that would last him at least two weeks (the cookbook was just a precaution), and traveling cloaks and a thick black cape for protection against the cold - should the warming charms not be appropriate for use at some stage - for example a frozen pond.

Harry knew nothing about the Summit, besides for that the co-ordinates, the fact that it was very cold, and that there were many dangers along the way.

He looked out into the moonlight.

He saw the Quidditch field illuminated by the pale moonlight.

He saw the stillness of the Forbidden Forest.

He saw the warm flickering lights from within Hagrid's hut.

He turned away.

It may well be the last time he would ever see these things, he thought to himself.

He sighed.

Now he would have to do what he dreaded most.

He turned and looked at Ron.

"I'm sorry mate," he whispered. "I hope that you'll live a happy life with Hermione, whether I come back or not."

His touching words were ignored by a snoring Ron, who had tossed in his sleep and murmured, "No don't touch the cinnamon firecrackers, Ron Junior... seven sickles apiece... buy your Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes... no Hermione, house elves don't like toilet brushes..."

Harry couldn't help but smile at that.

With one last glance at the tall, gangly redhead, he took his baggage with him and gently closed the Head Boy dorm door.

Dropping his things on the couch upon entering the common room, where the fire was still burning merrily, he walked up to Hermione and Ginny's room.

Gently sliding open the door, he walked in.

Had it been under any other circumstance, Harry would've felt very awkward about it.

He walked to Hermione's bedside first.

"Sis," he whispered, "I want you to be happy also, Hermione. Thank you for everything you've done for me, I'm going to try and pay you back..."

Memories flooded his mind.

_The numb feeling he had gotten when he heard that Hermione had been petrified back in his second year... the fright that she had been dead earlier this year when they were at Riddle Mansion... the worry he had felt when Malfoy bewitched her..._

He kissed Hermione's sleeping form on the forehead, and slowly turned to Ginny.

He stood for ten solid minutes staring at her sleeping form, moonlight shining on her, illuminating her hair and face.

"Ginny..." he choked out.

Harry couldn't think of any words in which to express his innermost feelings as he watched Ginny turn over in her sleep.

_All the small things_, he thought.

_Things like this._

_That's what I'm fighting for._

"And that's why I must go," he whispered aloud.

Turning to leave, he allowed himself one last glimpse at Ginny.

He soaked in her peaceful image, lying in her bed, deep in sleep.

He walked over and planted a small kiss on her cheek.

_For the road._

"Goodbye, Ginny," he said.

Ginny twisted violently in her sleep.

Harry watched for another minute before gathering the resolve to leave.

As he walked down out of the girl's dorm, and to the portrait hole, carrying a rucksack, his Firebolt on his shoulder.

Fortuna jumped onto his shoulder.

"Are you ready, Fortuna? We're going now, say goodbye to it all..." said Harry, stroking Fortuna.

Fortuna purred.

Smiling, Harry turned to the fireplace, when a voice made him jump a meter into the air.

"And where do you think you're going, Harry?"

_Damn_.

It was Ron.

The boy sure did have a thing for interrupting Harry in the middle of something important, whether it be a passionate kiss or this, an escape from Hogwarts to try and save the world of muggles and muggle-born.

He must've gotten up to get a cup of water or something.

"Ron. I have to go."

"No, Harry! You don't know anything about... you can't just... HERMIONE!" he hollered.

Now Harry was in trouble.

_I never should have said goodbye._

Seconds later, Hermione came sleepily, followed by Ginny down the staircase.

"S'matter, Ron?"

"He tried to leave!"

"Leave? Quidditch?" mumbled Ginny sleepily.

"NO, don't you remember the letter?" exclaimed Ron.

Ginny seemed to all of a sudden snap awake.

"I KNEW IT!" she cried. "I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO GO... but even YOU aren't THAT stupid to leave without preparing anything are you?"

"I _have _prepared things," said Harry, slightly annoyed that Ginny dismissed his entire day of hard work.

"Oh yeah?" said Ron, stepping in.

"Yeah."

"So what is at the top of the Summit?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Harry was struck dumb. He didn't do any research on what he would actually find in the Summit, just how to get there.

However, he wasn't going to let Ron outwit him.

"Dementors," he said, saying the first thing in his head.

"Damn I wish I knew if that was right..."

Harry laughed, despite having three angry stares on him.

"We're coming with you."

Harry sighed.

This was what he had been dreading.

"No. You don't..."

"Understand?" Ron almost yelled. "We _understand _you better than you understand yourself!"

"This is a trap, Ron."

"And we're going to get trapped with you if your damn stubbornness makes you walk knowingly into one."

"Ron..."

"He's not the only one," said Hermione, standing next to Ron. "Harry. We've been with you the entire way... we'll be with you till the end."

Harry's resolve was slowly weakening, tears threatening to form as he watched his two best friends staring him resolutely in the eye.

_What have I done to deserve such friends?_

"No one, not one person, has come back alive for a century..."

And then Ginny spoke up.

"If you don't let us we'll follow you. We'll follow your tracks like dogs on a hunt. You either let us come willingly with you, or you make us chase you."

As Harry lifted his eyes to Ginny's, he knew he had made a mistake.

More than any Veela magic could ever do, the determination in her eyes melted the last of the resolve he had.

When he spoke, it was in a dry croak.

"All right."

"Okay, give us a few minutes to pack what we need."

"Hermione. Ron. Ginny. We need to go to Diagon Alley. You guys will need supplies."

"Yes, of course," said Hermione thoughtfully, getting up and going to the staircase. "Please Harry, let's do some more research before..."

"No, Hermione. Every day thousands of people get infected with the plague. If the Cure really is at the Summit the sooner we go, the sooner the plague is stopped."

"But we don't know what's there!"

"That's why we bring every last gadget we can think of," said Harry, waving at his bag.

Hermione stomped up the staircase, ignoring Harry's last comment. Ginny was at her heels.

Ron had already disappeared back up the boys' staircase.

Harry slumped down on the couch, defeated.

He never wanted to drag anyone with him through his adventures; they always seemed to _want _to come along. Harry didn't know what would happen if one of them got hurt, or even worse, died.

People said he was the hero.

How wrong they were.

It was his friends, always his friends that were the ones who stuck through it, through thick and thin. They were the ones who helped him through everything, they were ones that kept him sane.

It wasn't him that was the hero, he thought, dimly observing Ron coming down the staircase.

It was them.

"Ron?"

_What had I done to deserve such friends, _he thought again.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

_Nothing... nothing at all, _thought Harry.

"Everything."

A small girl of eleven tossed and turned in her bed.

She had been dreaming of a big wedding, of feasts and ceremonies, of music and joy, when an unbidden shadow penetrated her mind.

She saw flashes of images.

A lion roaring.

Snakes flying.

Screams... unearthly screams.

And a pair of bright green eyes.

She mumbled in her sleep.

"At the Summit, the end will come."

No one was there to hear it, and the new Prophecy was lost.

It was around three in the morning when Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron finally set off.

"Okay, we floo to Diagon Alley first to buy our supplies..." said Harry, grabbing a fistful of floo powder from the shelves and threw it into the flames.

Green embers erupted.

"Diagon Alley," he said, and carrying his rucksack, broom, and Fortuna, he whirled in the fireplace, tumbling out at the other end.

He never would like traveling by floo powder.

Ginny appeared a few seconds after him, followed closely by Ron and Hermione.

"C'mon, Quality Quidditch Supplies first. We need to buy you three the best brooms there are. We could very well need them."

Ten minutes later, Harry's Gringotts account was a whole lot emptier, as Hermione, Ron, and Ginny came out clutching brand new Firebolts, Ron stammering his thanks in an incoherent ramble of words.

"Next, we go to the dark market."

"Err... Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Dark market?"

"Yes... what we need next we're not going to find in Diagon Alley."

"What _do _we need next?"

"An invisibility cloak."

"Oh... that's not going to come cheap," murmured Ginny.

"I'll manage," said Harry, and led them down to Knockturn Alley.

"Pull your hoods up... we don't want to be recognized."

Even in the early hours before sunrise, the market was bustling.

Harry walked up to a frightening vampire and growled in a deep voice, "Do you know where the invisibility cloaks dealers are?"

The vampire stared at him for a second, and hissed, "There's only one cloak dealer... and you're looking right at him. Now how much for an invisibility cloak?"

"State your price."

"I'm looking for a fair lot of money on this one... ten thousand sounds about right to me..."

"Ten thousand?" yelped Ron.

Ginny kicked him.

"Taken," said Harry, handing over a bank note.

The vampire waved his hand, and a massive wardrobe appeared in front of their faces.

He grabbed a silvery one near the end and tossed it at Harry.

"Take it and be gone," he said, and with another wave of his hand, the wardrobe disappeared.

Harry tried it on.

"Work?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Let's go. Good doing business with you," he added to the vampire, who turned away.

"What now," whispered Hermione after they had left Knockturn Alley.

"Now we go," said Harry.

"Put a finger on the portkey," said Harry, taking out a chocolate frog.

"Portus," he said.

The frog glowed blue for a second, and then stood stationary.

The four of them placed a finger on the frog, and with an incantation of 'activatio', they whizzed away from Diagon Alley, and to the bitter cold of the Himalayas.

The four arrived, shivering.

Flinging on their cloaks, they looked to the mountains.

It looked like a difficult trek indeed, even on broomstick.

Snow covered the paths, jagged rocks blocking the views. The Summit could not be seen, as Moody had warned Harry. They would have to continue the majority of the journey on broomstick, and the final stretch on foot.

Clouds gathered overhead, and thunder roared.

"We better get going," said Harry, and mounted his Firebolt.

The four teenagers flew forwards.

No one noticed the maniacal eyes burning holes through their backs.

No one noticed a lone shadow follow.


	23. Chapter 23

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Twenty-Five - Hope

At Hogwarts, the Order was assembled.

The disappearance of Harry Potter and his friends caused an enormous uproar.

"We have to follow them..."

"No."

"What do you mean, no?"

"If we leave, Hogwarts might be attacked."

"But Potter! The Prophecy!"

"He is ready. Many have sacrificed to buy him the time. This last road none of us can help him on... he has left our range."

"How do you know this is the _last road_?" exclaimed McGonagall.

"Because," said Moody. "No one leaves the Summit. It'd take a miracle... and Potter better well provide one."

"You left the Summit," started someone, but was abruptly cut off by McGonagall.

"But what do we do in the mean time? Surely He Who Must Not Be Named won't attack Hogwarts if this is all a trap for Potter?"

Moody paused, sliding his hand over his scarred face, deep in thought.

Snape stood.

"Strike them from behind... trap the trappers..."

"Won't You-Know-Who be prepared for that?" asked Tonks, frowning.

A silence followed this statement.

"Yes, he will," said Snape. "But we've got advantage in numbers..."

"We cannot hope to gather any of the muggle support! With the plague about, I doubt any dare go to the core of it all!"

"You fool, Diggle," snarled Snape. "Don't you understand? Potter's gone off on his own little solo journey, leaving us in a very nasty position. We don't have a choice."

"And why not?"

"Have you not been listening for the past two years?" shrieked McGonagall all of a sudden. "The Prophecy!"

"How do we know that it's not a trap for _us_, not for Potter?"

"We don't. But think about it logically, Diggle... what is more important to Lord Voldemort, removing the only threat that could harm him, or attacking an empty fortress?"

The man named Diggle bowed down low and took his seat.

"All in favor of going to Potter's aid, whether by catching up to them or by diverting You-Know-Who's forces?" asked McGonagall.

Almost all hands were raised.

"Mad-eye, you _do _know how to get there don't you?" asked Tonks, yawning widely.

Several people glared at her.

Moody sighed.

"Yes," he said. "But I don't ever want to go there again..."

The old Auror shuddered, much to the surprise of the whole room.

A deep sense of foreboding took them all.

No one spoke.

"I'm afraid you'll have to," said Snape heavily at last. "As you said, this is the last road."

Harry swung his broomstick on his shoulder and continued on foot.

They had come to a tunnel in the mountains, too dark to fly.

"Lumos," the four of them said.

The pale beams of light shone a path in the darkness.

It was the afternoon after they had first set off on their trek to the Summit.

Harry did not think it would have been as difficult as Moody had described it as. There were jagged rocks along the mountainside, the rain which had started to pour around mid-day pounded had pounded on the four of them whilst they sped up the mountain on their Firebolts.

Soon, the rain had turned to snow, and then to hail, which poured down at such a speed that cuts covered all four of their bodies, Fortuna the only unscathed, as the mysticat had been sleeping in Harry's rucksack.

Harry felt Ginny shiver slightly next to him in the darkness.

"Here," he said, handing her a thick overcoat he had bought.

"Thanks, Harry," she said quietly.

An uncomfortable silence took the four friends after that.

The feeling of impending danger was upon them - Harry knew only too well that they were very lucky indeed that none of the hideous creatures Moody had told him about had appeared yet.

Harry pointed his wand at the walls.

Seeing the sight, he grimaced.

The walls were stained red, what looked horribly like remnants of torn apart human skeletons littered the floors beside them.

No one spoke still, although all of them had seen it.

Turning his wand away from the walls and towards the slippery mountain path, Harry continued onwards.

All of a sudden, his scar flared with pain, and clutching his head, he slipped on the floor, hitting his head hard on the icy floor.

"Harry!" cried Ginny, Ron, and Hermione's voices.

Three beams of light shone on him.

"It was Voldemort," he gasped, rubbing his head.

Blood covered his fingers.

Harry didn't know what compelled him to say his next words, but as soon as he said it, he knew it was true, just like how he could sense Voldemort's mood.

"He knows we're here."

"How many are we?"

"Three hundred and twelve, Professor Snape, sir!"

"How many are muggles?"

The errand boy stopped and frowned.

"None."

"Very well. Please inform the Supplies division of the numbers, so they can hand out equipment..."

"Yes, sir!" cried the boy, and sprinted off.

Severus Snape was busy making a rough map with Mad-Eye Moody.

Out of the rough sketches Snape had right now, it did not look like an easy trail.

It was like a labyrinth, twists and turns in the path where one could get lost and wind up in a place far, far away from the mountains.

Moody also warned of creatures and ancient enchantments placed on the road to the Summit.

It looked like a dark journey indeed.

"Mad-eye, call together everyone we have now. We will go over the plans, and all that are fit to leave shall leave."

Snape swept out of the room, grim-faced, leaving an equally foreboding Mad-eye Moody standing in the room himself.

He hobbled away, shaking his head.

"Okay, let's make camp," said Harry, motioning to a dry patch of ground under a small cliff.

They had barely got out of the tunnel by midnight, and they were hungry, cold, and tired.

"Where do we sleep?" asked Ron with a frown.

"Why, in the Leaky Cauldron, let's just pop down there now why don't we?" said Hermione sarcastically, who was in a bad mood from the cold and the long march through the tunnel.

"Oh great!" said Ron, before realizing the bitter sarcasm in her voice.

"Idiot," muttered Ginny, also in a foul mood.

"Summune tent," said Harry, and before them a big, squashy looking lime green tent appeared.

"I daresay this'll be good enough," said Harry, walking into the tent first.

It wasn't anything close to the magical tents Mr. Weasley had got when they visited the Quidditch World Cup - it was a one-roomed tent with four sleeping bags, and a small table.

"This reminds me of something..." said Hermione thoughtfully, surveying the surroundings, her eyes sparkling.

"This is Remus' tent," said Harry quietly.

Three pairs of eyes shot towards him.

"He gave it to me last year."

Another silence took the four as they wordlessly took out the prepared food they had brought.

Hermione muttered a quick charm to heat the food, and sitting at the small table, they started on an uneasy dinner.

Now that they were warmed up and had food in front of them, the mood took an upturn.

Hermione and Ginny were laughing about something, and Ron was licking his lips, diving into his plate of food.

"Mmm..." said Ron, munching on his fish and chips.

Harry would've laughed, as Ron discreetly took a piece of fish from Hermione's plate as she looked the other direction, had it not been so serious of a situation.

"Hey Ginny, can I have some?" said Ron, holding a fork in one hand and a piece of fish in the other.

Ginny shot Ron a slightly disgusted glance and nodded.

"Fanks, Ginny!" said Ron, beaming, and spitting out a piece of fish onto the table.

As they finished their meager meals, Harry motioned to the sleeping bags.

"You three sleep first... I'll take lookout duty."

"Lookout duty?" asked Ginny.

"We're not in a safe place anymore," said Hermione, nodding to Harry. "You're not planning on running off and stranding us here are you?"

Harry gave her a penetrating stare in response.

To his consternation, she giggled.

"You know, I never would've thought that I'd be at the legendary Harry Potter's side, walking knowingly into a trap..."

Harry's eyes were sad as he looked at Hermione.

Strangely, her face held no blame - rather admiration, for reasons unknown.

"I never would've thought I'd turn out to be a Veela, a hero even!" finished Hermione, a dreamy look on her face.

Although Hermione smiled at this, Harry felt such a strong feeling of guilt that he never experienced before.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered, downcast. "I'm sorry I dragged you all into this..."

_He didn't deserve them, _he thought again.

"Oh, Harry," sighed Hermione and Ginny, both sitting down next to him and wrapping their arms around him in a sisterly fashion.

"Hey, what about me?" said Ron, who was still munching on the remnants of Ginny's dinner.

He burped, then smiled.

"Eww!" the girls said, and scampered away from Ron jokingly.

Harry couldn't help but smile.

Even in times like this, going on what was most possibly the most dangerous journey anyone has taken for years, his friends could still joke and have fun.

He turned his sight to Hermione and Ginny.

Ginny was still busy giggling, but he could've sworn Hermione caught his eye and winked, smiling.

Indeed, his friends were extraordinary.

"We're ready."

"Excellent," said Snape, a grim smile on his face. "Mad-eye?"

The auror nodded.

"Everyone... portkey out!"

Neville grabbed the copy of Hogwarts, a History, shooting a glance at Luna, who stood resolutely next to him, holding a potato.

"MULTIPLICUS ACTIVATIO!" shouted Snape, and Neville found himself being whizzed away from the warmth of the Hogwarts halls, where he had been sweating like mad just a few seconds ago and into the bitter freezing cold of the Himalayas.

Immediately he regretted his rash decision to join the party to find Harry - if he and Ron, Hermione and Ginny were still alive, that was.

However, seeing the grim determined faces of his friends and professors, he found courage he had never known existed before, seldom tapped into.

He looked around.

Next to him was Luna and Seamus, and around them were Parvati, Lavender, Dean, Ernie, Cho Chang, and a couple of others that Neville only knew by appearance, despite having many meetings with them, he couldn't remember their names.

All were here to help save Harry, whilst the majority of the forces had been sent across the other side of the mountain, led by Snape and Moody to try and smoke out Voldemort's Death Eaters.

Neville raised his head towards the Summit, much like Harry had done a few days ago.

"We're coming, Harry," he said solemnly.

Luna snatched his hand, her eyes also focused on the stormy top of the mountains.

"Let's go," said Neville.

And so they went, the core of the original Dumbledore's Army, off to find their General.

Harry glanced outside through a small window in the magical tent.

The moon and stars shone bright outside.

He turned and surveyed his best friends sleeping peacefully in the sleeping bags on the floor.

It was three o'clock in the morning - his shift was over.

Nonetheless, as he saw Ron snoring slightly, a smile plastered onto his face, he couldn't bear to ruin whatever dream his best friend was having - they were willingly coming into this with him, the best he could do was at least let them get their rest.

Yawning, Harry turned to Fortuna, who was stretching luxuriously over his invisibility cloak, a bowl of milk in front of him.

All of a sudden, Fortuna meowed and hissed, jumping to Harry's shoulder, the feline's eyes glowing blue.

"What is it, Fortuna?" asked Harry quietly, knowing all well the cat couldn't answer.

He walked up to the window and looked outside.

"You can stop looking, I'm right here," said a girlish voice he didn't recognize.

Thinking extremely fast, he whipped around and cried, "EXPELLIARMUS!"

"Protego," said the girl lazily.

His own jet of light flew back at him, and he only barely dodged it, as it hit his bag, food began to fly out.

His yell had woken his friends up.

"S'matter," mumbled Ginny.

Ron and Hermione, however, were quickest to survey the scene in just a few short seconds, grabbing their wands and turning towards the intruder.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" shouted Hermione and Ron.

The girl once again raised her wand, and flung the spells back towards their casters.

Ron and Hermione's wands flew out of their hand.

But the girl, in doing this, took her eyes off Harry for a second too long.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" he cried again, and this time, the girl's wand flew out of her hand.

Much to his dismay, however, she whipped out another wand from her pocket, and with a wave, Ginny's wand joined Ron and Hermione's in a neat stack on the table, and Harry found his wand being tugged very forcefully away from him.

_Must hang on, _he thought.

_Can't let that Death Eater win..._

"Serpensor... SERPENSORTIA PRISONE!" he bellowed, and suddenly found that his wand was in his full control again.

Just on time, he pointed it at the girl, and screaming, she was bound tightly by magical snakes.

However, after she fell over, apart from the initial shock, she didn't look remotely scared at all.

"You know, they always said you were the best dueler, Harry."

Laughing slightly to herself, she muttered an incantation and the snakes released her.

"Don't move," he snarled, aiming his wand right at the girl's eyes.

Now having time to see just who this intruder was, he saw she looked rather like Ginny, only her eyes were ablaze with the fire of one who had suffered, one that was searching for revenge. She had red hair, a slender, curvy body. She looked like she would've been extremely attractive had she not had a nasty smirk plastered on her face.

"Who are you... who sent you... what are you doing here?" he asked.

"First question first?" said the girl, rolling her eyes, not at all bothered by the four wands that were pointed at her.

"Cut the crap," growled Ron.

"My name is Hope Weasley," she said.

"Liar!" proclaimed Ginny. "You're not a Weasley! I know all of our family members... Mum made us memorize it all!"

Ignoring Ginny, she continued, "No one sent me, I've come by myself..."

All of a sudden, she looked at Ginny.

"So _you're _Aunt Ginny!" she murmured to herself.

"Who the hell are you!" cried Ron, obviously itching to hurl a hex straight at the girl.

"I told you, dad, I'm Hope."

"Huh? Dad?" Ron said, scratching his nose, looking rather insulted.

"Load of dung this is... er... _Hope_ was it?" said Harry, drawling in such an attitude it would've made Draco Malfoy himself proud.

"You know, I don't think I like you," she said, narrowing her eyes.

"You're the one with four wands pointing at you, I'd keep my comments to myself if I were you."

"MULTIPLICUS EXPELLIARMUS!"

All four wands, including Harry's flew out of their hands.

"You'd think you would've known to watch out for a spell your own mother invented. Enough of this," said the girl called Hope.

"Just let me talk," she said, placing her wand down.

"We're listening... you're the one armed, after all..." snarled Harry.

"I'm going to say this once, and only once. My name is Hope Virginia Weasley, eldest daughter of Ronald and Hermione Weasley, Second Head Witch of the Phoenix Resistance... but you don't know about that... well... I am from the year 2020, and things aren't going too well."

"Dung," spat Hermione. "We've done time-travel, traveling in any means besides a time-turner will open up a separate timeline and..."

"But you invented a new spell," said the girl, smiling slightly.

It was a sad smile, much like one Harry had found himself giving in times he'd rather not think about.

"You. Are. Insane."

Ron had dived for his wand, and turning to the girl, yelled, "STUPEFY!"

The girl, caught at unawares, fell unconscious onto the floor.

"What the bloody hell is this?" yelled Ron.

"Death Eater," said Harry coldly, looking upon the girl with distaste.

"The girl... I just realized something... she didn't try to harm any of us... just disarmed..." started Ginny.

"Let's see what she has to say," said Hermione fairly.

"No."

Hermione was shocked, her mouth hanging half open in mid sentence at the hardness of Harry's voice.

"We can't risk it."

"You don't have a choice," said Hope's voice.

They whirled around and all started shouting incantations.

"Don't... please... I'll tell you why I'm here."

They stopped halfway through their spells.

The four friends glanced at each other, their wands still trained on Hope, and after what seemed an age, nodded to her.

"Say we are to believe you... say you really _are _from the... _future_," said Harry, "How do we know who you are who you claim to be?"

"The hair and freckles not enough?" said Hope, with a hint of a smile tugging on her lips.

Harry, however, was dead serious.

"Show me who you are."

"How?"

"Like so."

Grabbing her wand from her hands, he turned it to her.

_She didn't move._

How very trusting of her, thought Harry.

"Memoirtransverto." (A/N: Now you didn't really think I was going to put all the brain to brain communication stuff in the story for no reason did you?)

The girl reacted similarly to James and Lily when he had used the same spell on them early in his seventh year, when things had been so simple.

Tears welled up in Hope's dark blue eyes.

Harry shrugged.

"Day in the life of the Boy-who-Lived."

"Okay... you want proof? I'll give you some."

Taking back her wand, she did exactly the same as Harry, and with a cry of "Memoirtransverto," Harry found himself drowning in memories that did not belong to him.

_A dinner table with eggs and ham._

_Mum and Dad standing over me, feeding me soup from a tin whilst I spat it out._

_A boy pulling on my pigtails._

_A picture of a black-haired boy with a scar on his head._

_A crazy woman Mummy told me was my aunt._

_My treehouse._

_A scream of pain._

_Crimson eyes._

_Blood... more blood._

_Mummy's lifeless eyes staring back up at me..._

_Daddy's anguished howl._

_More blood... more death..._

_A high-pitched echo of laughter._

_A greasy-haired man falling in a flash of green light._

_A phoenix and a cat speeding across the lands, chasing a snake._

_"Run, Hope, run!"_

_Those eyes again._

_More blood._

And Harry snapped back into his mind.

Ten minutes later, all of them knew that what Hope was telling was the truth.

She took a deep breath and started telling them why she was here.

"Something bad happened today... something that will change the course of history..."

Hope broke off, rubbing her eyes.

"What?" asked Harry, glancing into the girl's tortured eyes.

She didn't lift her head.

"What?" asked Harry again, this time more forcefully.

"You died," she whispered in a strangled voice.


	24. Chapter 24

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Twenty-Six - The Work of Hope Weasley

_"You died."_

A chilly feeling took Harry.

"What?" he stuttered, although he heard perfectly.

"I'm sorry," said Hope, looking sympathetic, much to Harry's surprise - he had thought the girl as a cold-hearted sufferer of the Second War. It shocked him that she could be disposed to feel sympathetic to the one that had caused all her suffering.

A person she had never known.

"But... how..."

He had thought about death before, but the idea of it happening to him never quite struck home.

_How could I die?_

"A flame sprite attacked this tent an hour before sunrise and burnt your wand into cinders, and wounded you horribly. You, Mum, dad, and Auntie Ginny couldn't defeat the sprite without you being armed... and you four ran away from it, towards the Summit desperately. When you reached the Summit, the sprite had caught up to you and so had Voldemort's band of Death Eaters. You were trapped."

Harry surveyed the girl's eyes.

"Voldemort killed you when you dived to save Auntie Ginny. But they were rescued by the Order bursting through... that's all dad told me," said Hope. "And it was at the Summit that almost all of the Order perished."

He used legilimency to detect any trace of a lie as he looked into her eyes.

Much to his dismay, there was none.

"Are you going to change the future?"

"I'm going to change the past. I'm here to help. I know how to vanquish the flame sprite. You won't die today."

Ginny looked slightly concerned.

"But won't your timeline be changed if Harry doesn't... _die_?"

"Yes," she said. "That's exactly the point."

"But you might not have been born!" cut in Hermione.

"That's a sacrifice I'll have to make, isn't it?"

"But..."

"You don't want to live in the world where I live in," said Hope solemnly.

"You don't even know me, why do you want to save me?" asked Harry, voicing his thoughts.

"Sybil Trelawney's prophecy was true. Only you can defeat Lord Voldemort."

"But he's immortal," sighed Harry. "I'm here to get the cure for the plague spreading in Great Britain..."

"Here," said Hope, taking out a vial of purple liquid. "It's a kind of bacteria, reversing the effects the of the Black Plague... just pour it out into a warm place and it will multiply... have one person drink it and walk around, and before you know it, everyone will be cured."

"Wouldn't that just spread another plague?"

"No, the bacteria dies in a person after a month's time... although that was enough to save what was left of the muggle and muggle-born population..."

"What was _left_ of it?" squeaked Hermione anxiously.

"Six hundred muggles. That's all that was left."

All their mouths fell open.

Hope, ignoring this, continued.

"But you saved them, mu... Hermione! You found the cure!"

The girl broke into the first genuine smile Harry had seen, and he saw that it brightened up her eyes immensely, so they shone, almost a light purple color instead of the dark blue.

_Hermione's eyes_, he thought, looking from Hermione to Hope.

Hope was a part Veela too.

"I? I found... how?"

"You were an inventor, er... Hermione," said Hope awkwardly.

She seemed to find it difficult and awkward to call her elder generation by their first names, whereas Harry nearly laughed at the thought of Ron cradling a baby in his arms.

It was funny how different generations of people had immensely different views, he thought, even at the same age.

_They must've really grown up_.

"An inventor? What did I invent?" asked Hermione, now interested.

"You'll find out," said Hope,

"What was I?" asked Ron with interest.

But Hope had turned to Harry.

"We have two hours to prepare... the flame sprite struck at five in the morning."

Harry finally trusted the girl with all his heart. Any daughter of Ron and Hermione's couldn't be bad.

"Tell us what we need to know."

Cho was near the head of their little party with Neville Longbottom, flying up the very same path Harry had gone just a few days ago.

She saw smoke in the distance.

"Hurry!" she shouted, pointing at the smoke high, high above them.

Putting all of the flying skills she had inhibited from years of being a seeker, Cho zoomed ahead of them all, hail blowing in her fair face, leaving deep cuts all over her body.

But she didn't care.

She saw her goal.

She saw, behind her, everyone following with the same determination.

As she turned around once more, she found herself facing a jagged rock, a door to a crack into the mountain.

There was no way for them to go up above it, as hail poured down and a cliff blocked the brooms from going up.

She took out a map.

"We're at the tunnels."

And climbing off her broomstick, with an incantation of, "Lumos," Cho walked in through the gap.

"It should come about now," said Hope, stepping outside and looking near the skies.

The last two hours or so were spent talking, discussing their plans for the demon, and after half an hour, slightly forced 'casual' conversation.

Ron, himself, was still slightly wary of the girl, despite her allowing him to see her memories.

He had gripped his wand tightly the whole time at the table, much to Harry's concern, as Hope's eyes darted occasionally to Ron's hand, a sad expression on her face lingering for just seconds before her lazy smirk replaced it.

Harry thought she must've been thinking about the Ron from _her _world - from what she was saying, a responsible, well mannered man with morals.

Ron had interrupted then, saying, "Morals, schmorals."

No one had spoken for half a minute, their mouths half open from talking.

Then Hope laughed, and the three girls went on talking.

Hermione and Ginny, however, seemed to be most sympathetic with Hope, chatting amiably with her, whilst Harry and Ron remained silent, Ron watchful, and Harry pensive.

"I suggest you pack away your tent, unless you like sleeping in ashes."

"Right," said Harry. "Evanesco."

The tent disappeared.

The five started shivering slightly, despite the cloaks they were wearing.

"Hope?"

"Mmm?" replied Hope, still looking to the skies.

"What happened to the world after we lost at the Summit?" asked Harry.

Hope didn't answer.

"Please."

"When you died, your friends - my parents and auntie - fled from the Summit with the Order. But Lord Voldemort, after killing you, had no more fears. He came to Hogwarts and destroyed the entire castle." She stopped at that, and sighed, before continuing.

"No one else could defeat him... the last hope was gone."

Now Harry sighed.

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione looked terrified.

"Lord Voldemort won the Second War. What was left of the wizards that opposed him were fifty wizards, six survivors from the Order of the Phoenix led them."

"Who?"

"Dad... I mean Ron, Minister Longbottom, Nymphadora Tonks, Parvati Patil, myself, and my cousin Sammie."

"What... what happened to everyone else?"

Seeing the distressed look on the girl's face, Harry said, "Never mind. I know."

"But you see... that's why I've come... we can't let that happen."

Harry nodded solemnly.

All of a sudden, Hope whipped out her wand.

"It's coming."

Harry all of a sudden felt an surge of heat blow through him, like fire spreading in his very veins.

And then it appeared.

_It _was the flame sprite Hope had spoken of, an eight-foot tall demon hovering in the air fearfully. Flames engulfed its body, dark, sharp looking horns on its skull, and seven inch long claws on its hands. Its red eyes stared at them.

It was what Harry had always imagined the Devil looked like.

All of a sudden, a massive boulder - composed of what looked suspiciously like molten lava - shot towards them.

"RONDACHE CONJURE!" shouted Harry and Hope, two large round shields appearing out of thin air, blocking the boulder, and causing it to roll in a separate direction, tumbling off the side of a mountain, crashing against the snow-filled ground below them.

Smoke rose, so thick that Harry could barely see in front of him.

"MAXIMUS REDUCTO!" shouted Ron and Ginny.

How they managed to aim through the smoke, Harry did not know, but the spells hit the sprite, making it stumble slightly.

It roared, a jet of fire escaping like an inferno as it did so.

"TORRENTORIA!" shouted Hermione.

Clouds appeared above the sprite, pouring down torrents of water, dampening the flames that lit the body of the sprite up.

It bellowed with pain, and with a slash, shattered Harry's shield. He and Ginny jumped behind Hope's, just as Hope jumped out from behind the shield and charged forwards.

Her eyes burning with Veela fury, a sphere of fire appeared in each of her hands.

"This is for the uncle I never had!" shouted Hope, and flung the fireballs straight into the sprite's stomach.

It roared once again, but with the fire dampened, it couldn't send out its blast of fire. It started stomping towards Hope.

"This is for my aunt!" she shouted again, and another two fireballs impaled the demon.

The demon lashed out against Hope, shredding her robes and leaving two gashes along her shoulder.

"This is for the twins!" she roared, and yet another two fireballs smashed into the sprite, smashing it backwards a bit.

It jumped at Hope, smashing her on her legs, ripping her robes completely so it was just mere strips of cloth covering her.

Her knees bled, impaled with sharp claws.

She didn't flinch, just shot a warning glance at Harry not to run out before it was time.

"This is for my dad!" she roared, turning back to the demon.

Two more fireballs engulfed the sprite, which now staggered.

Hope jumped towards the demon, her eyes burning maniacally, claws extending out of her fingers, her face mutating rapidly, and wings bursting out of her shoulder blades.

She was embracing all of the Veela blood within her, focusing her energy in a way Hermione never learnt.

Despite his numb excitement observing Hope combat the sprite, in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but be impressed with this girl from the future.

Letting out a scream of pain, two more fireballs appeared in her hands.

"THIS IS FOR MY MUM!" she bellowed, and flung, with what seemed like the last of her strength, two final fireballs towards the staggering demon.

The final fireballs, as they sunk into the flesh of the demon, engulfed it with flames once more - only this time it wasn't in control of them.

The demon batted itself wildly, shrieking with pain, its flesh alight.

Hope collapsed onto the floor, the wings retracting, the sharpness of her face disappearing.

This was their signal.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny ran out now from behind the shields.

And as they aimed their wands at the demon, they felt a strong surge of power course through them.

_The Shield of the Founders_.

Harry remembered Hermione's exact words on the day they found out what they had all along thought was the Marauder's shield truly was.

_"It's a mystical shield which was said to be a myth found by the Founders of Hogwarts in a stash of Merlin's things... it is said to be a bonding talisman... A bonding talisman forms a strong connection between a certain number of wizards, which magnifies their abilities as long as the four are in a reasonably close proximity to each other..."_

It appeared their particular bond needed such a situation, which required teamwork from all of them to initiate the bond.

With quick glances at each other, they roared as one, "VANQUISHO!"

As the jets of white light flew out of their wands, mixed as one and struck the sprite straight where Hope's fire had burnt a scalding figure eight shape, it let out an otherworldly wail.

Glowing so brightly Harry had to squint to see, the demon disappeared in a flash of white light.

Harry let his wand arm relax, and he turned to his friends.

"HOPE!" he cried, seeing the girl lying on the floor.

For right before his eyes, the girl had a white light gathering in her chest as they spoke. Her face now had fully changed back, now looking rather like a timid child than the fierce Veela that had fought against the massive fire sprite.

"Hope, what's happening to you?" cried Hermione, running to her side, Ron and Ginny right behind her.

But Harry understood.

As she changed their future, her own past was doomed.

The light began spreading across her body, now covering her entire torso.

"No... stop it Hope!" cried Ron, who now seemed to have taken a liking to the girl, much in contrast to just merely minutes ago when they had been chatting.

"What's going on?" wailed Ginny.

"Hope..." started Harry.

The girl met his eyes, and she smiled.

"Thank you."

"You know what? I think I do like you after all. You're welcome," she said.

Hermione and Ron turned to Harry for just a second before turning back to Hope.

Her body was now completely covered in the light; all that they could see were her glittering violet eyes.

"Bye mum, bye dad..." said Hope's voice dreamily, sounding rather detached. "I love you."

But Hermione and Ron, as much as they liked the girl they just met, just couldn't say it back.

"Goodbye Hope," said Hermione solemnly.

"Bye Hope... we'll always remember you," said Ron, not looking at the glowing body next to him, but rather at the skies.

And with Ron's words, Hope Weasley, and all that she was, all that she would be was gone.

Her work was finished.

Alastor 'Mad-eye' Moody stumped resentfully up the cold mountains, hundreds of wizards behind him.

The weather he could bear, the hardships of the road he could suffer, but Mad-eye Moody did not know what he would do should he run into another fire sprite.

Those fearsome creatures Moody feared above anything in the world, and nothing, not even the threat of the world itself collapsing could make him stare one in the eye, much to his self-loathing.

Step by step seemed a labour to Moody, fear growing and growing with every meter closer to the Summit.

And lo and behold, the peak was in his sights.

"Halt here," said Moody. "Take our meal break, and tell everyone to pull themselves together. In three hours, we take the final stretch."

"We better go," said Harry softly, two days later, upon sunrise.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were still numb with shock about the peculiar girl that was their next generation, having come and gone within hours, saving their lives and the lives of millions of muggles.

They had spent two days sitting in the tent, the first day out of plain dumb shock at the extraordinary events with the flame sprite, the second day because of the torrents of wind that made it impossible to fly in.

Harry, by far, suffered the least from Hope's abrupt entrance and departure - his life had already been touched by too many woes - he learnt to deal over time, something that he hoped Ron, Hermione, and Ginny would never have to get used to.

"Why?" said Hermione slowly. "We have the antidote..."

"Yeah," agreed Ron. "We know this is a trap... why don't we just go back to Hogwarts?"

Truth be told, Harry didn't know why either, just that there was a strange feeling pushing him forwards, closer and closer to the stormy peak that was the Summit.

"This is it," he said, falling into a trance-like state, yet strangely aware of some things around him, completely unaware of others.

He could almost hear each individual raindrop hit the mountain and slide down to the ground, he could feel each rock that shifted as water batted against it, weathering its rough surfaces.

"What, Harry?" asked Ginny, who was puzzled, still in shock.

But her words fell on deaf ears.

"This is where it ends..."

"What are you talking about, Harry?" asked Ron.

"This is the last road."

"HARRY!" shouted Hermione, as Harry had already started walking up the path.

"This is what they bought me time for, Hermione," he said, his voice soft, but confident.

"Stop, Harry!"

"No, Ginny. You don't understand. The prophecy... this is where it all ends," he said.

"How do you know?" cried Hermione, who had grabbed Harry's arms to make him stop.

He snapped out of his little trance.

"I can feel it in my blood."

Ron shuddered from behind Harry.

"No mate... don't... come back... there will be another chance."

"Go back, all three of you. Go back. Deliver the cure. This is my path, and mine alone."

"Shut up."

Harry snapped around.

"What?"

"I said shut up," snarled Ginny, whose days of trekking in the harsh Himalayan Mountains built up her foul mood.

It was finally being let out.

Puzzled, Harry looked to Hermione and Ron for support, but found them staring back at him with the same expressions of anger.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Harry with indignation.

"What's wrong with YOU?" retorted Ginny waspishly.

"Look, I don't know..."

"That much is obvious," snapped Ginny.

"Hey!"

"I've had enough of your... you know what, Harry? Just shut up and start flying, because if you're going, we're not going anywhere but with you."

"But..."

But Ginny had prodded him, and he, still not understanding, jumped onto his broomstick and zipped up the path, his friends close on his tail.

Harry knew, deep down in his heart, this day was indeed the day it would all end.

It was just like how a baby could recognize it's mother's voice before even understanding what it meant, it was like how a person could walk around in his or her own house in the pitch dark and know exactly what was where although they couldn't see it.

It was instinct.

And instinct told him that today was the day that all of the sacrifices people had made for him would either be in vain, or be rewarded.

And the instinct told him the final fight was his own.

He didn't know why exactly he should trust the instinct, just that he did.

Gaining speed, he left Ginny, Ron, and Hermione behind.

They never were quite as good as him when it came to flying, and now, finally it paid off, he thought, as he zoomed away, despite the protests of his friends behind him.

And within three more hours of strenuous flying, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron were nowhere in sight, and he, Harry, landed on the Summit, with a horrible mix of lightning, rain, winds gathering in the air around him, weathering anything that dared stand in its way.

There was a dolmen near the center of peak, made of battered stone, black in color but with a strange glitter to it, much like one would see in raw gold that hadn't been extracted from the outcrop of rocks yet.

"What kind of a place is this for the Gateway to Heaven?" he said aloud, after walking around for twenty minutes more to the highest point possible, next to the dolmen.

"You... idiot!" yelled a feminine voice from below him.

It was Ginny.

And she didn't look happy.

"What on _earth _were you thinking, flying away from us like that?" she roared, her eyes ablaze with rage.

Ron appeared next, an equal expression of disgust on his face.

"You said you wouldn't run, Harry. Pretty retarded of you, really."

Another person on a broomstick came up the hills, and Harry braced himself for yet another reprimanding lecture from Hermione.

However, it was something far worse than that.

The Death Eaters had come.

"That's not... that's not Hermione!" shouted Harry.

Ron and Ginny whipped around, momentarily stopping their admonishments.

"How very observant of you Pot..." started a sneer.

"Flipendo!" Ron had roared halfway through the word 'observant'.

The wizard, halfway through speaking with a smirk on his face was blasted off the mountain.

Ron had learnt never to bother listening to Death Eaters, all they did was gloat sadistically, moan, or just laugh like a villain you would expect to see in a comic book.

But by then, the others had come.

And much to Harry's surprise, right behind the first five Death Eaters was Hermione, flying right behind a Death Eater.

And she wasn't on a broomstick.

She looked exactly as Hope had when she was battling the sprite; shining, metallic-looking wings had protruded from her shoulders.

It looked like she finally found a way to call upon all of the veela blood within her.

Landing down next to Ron, the monstrous changes in Hermione had shrunk, until all that was left were long, scaly wings and sharp claws protruding from each finger.

Harry had remembered before Hermione had not - if you will - sprouted wings... what had caused the change this time he would never know.

The four had now gathered into a tight ring in the center of the mound where the dolmen was, blasting away in all directions as more of Voldemort's dark wizards zipped up the Summit on their brooms.

"MULTIPLICUS SERPENSORTIA!" shouted Harry, as he had not seen Voldemort yet, the snakes would be under his control as the sole parseltongue speaker.

_Spread out and kill_, Harry hissed mercilessly.

Despite the snakes, the four friends were still furiously outnumbered, all of them still standing unscathed only thanks to Ginny's watch, and Fortuna, who was taking turns jumping from one to another, deflecting spells.

Just when Harry knew they couldn't stand it much longer, a blast a bright green light flew straight towards him.

"TEMPUS IMMOBULIS!" shouted a voice, and much to Harry's surprise, the jet of light itself, the killing curse, stopped a meter away from him. He, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stepped gingerly away from the mound where the dolmen lay, and started casting hexes at the death eaters frozen in time.

Harry heard yells from the several Death Eaters not falling victim to the unpredictable time-stopping charm, and then, much to his surprise, came more wizards from the sides of the mountain.

"Owe you one, Neville," yelled Harry, as he saw who had cast the charm.

The boy nodded grimly, his face pale, and returned his attention to the battle, which had erupted again now that Neville's brief charm wore off.

This time, however, it seemed as though the Death Eaters were winning, despite the interruption of the Order charging up the mountain.

Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione now had been separated, Harry the only one left standing on the little mound that was the top of the Summit.

And a face he had never expected to see again confronted him.

"Remember me, Potter?" snarled the man.

He did not grace the man with a reply.

And then Harry really did remember, doing a double take.

_How does he remember my name?_

"So, you thought it was _fun _to take away my memories, did you?" spoke Lucius softly, hatred vibrating in every syllable.

_He shouldn't be remembering anything at all..._

"REDUCTO!" yelled Harry all of a sudden.

"Protego," drawled Lucius, and Harry's spell was absorbed.

"I think it's time to repay that favor, Potter..."

Damned would Harry have been had he let Lucius Malfoy get a free shot off and take away all his memories.

He raised his wand in preparation.

Lucius mirrored his exact position.

"Flipendo!" shouted Ginny, who had ran behind Lucius Malfoy.

Lucius was blasted high into the skies, off the mountain, caught at unawares.

He looked rather comical as he hung in mid-air for just a few seconds, before he dropped down to the mountains below.

"Stop wasting your time with filth like that!" she hollered to Harry.

Furious with his own stupidity, yet also relieved, Harry returned to the battle.

The duels raged on, Harry dodging the volleys of curses following him, blasting an occasional Death Eater, when the same trance that had took him earlier that day had grasped Harry again.

His mind had become strangely numb at this point, his wand arm falling to his side.

"What are you doing, Harry?" cried Fred or George's voice.

"Maximus Reducto!" he bellowed, aiming his wand at the mound, which he had stood on a few minutes ago.

Still in a trancelike state, he walked to the center of where the mound had been and stood.

Harry looked down, snapping out of the reverie.

He saw a strange symbol engraved into the earth where he stood.

"Take me to the Pandemonium Citadel," he said, and a green light rose around him.

The next thing he knew, the Summit was gone.

He found himself in a cold steel chamber; every inch of wall was engraved with symbols and letters.

He shivered and looked around. He felt Fortuna shudder slightly on his shoulder, purring softly.

To his left was a glittering window, and to his right was a dark hole in the fortress. Directly in front of him was something he had hoped he would never see again.

It was the Veil from the Department of Mysteries - or else a veil that looked remarkably like it.

He turned to see what was behind him, and nearly dropped his wand in shock.

"Hello, Potter... it's been a while."


	25. Chapter 25

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Twenty-Seven - Destiny's Call

"Where's... WHERE'S HARRY?" roared Ron over the chaos.

Hermione and Ginny had finally found their ways back to Ron.

"He blasted the dolmen there... and then he just... STUPEFY!"

"And he just... what?"

"Disappeared," yelled Ginny, whipping around and yelling, "Skeledestructo!"

"Let's go after him!" hollered Hermione, after dodging a curse aimed at her.

Ron didn't respond, but rather ran to the mound where the dolmen had stood.

As he ran, however, a curse caught him from behind, and he let out a shriek, falling and screaming.

His arm and part of his torso slumped.

_The bone breaker curse._

"RON!"

"Man that felt good!" cried a voice.

Ginny had reached Ron by now, and with inhuman strength spawned only from situations like these, picked him up, running away from the fray.

Hermione, however, turned to the person who had shouted.

"Malfoy," she spat.

He turned to her, his eyes flickering from her sneaker-covered toes to the stray strands of hair blown up by the wild winds.

He smirked.

"My mudblood."

"Bastard."

"You must feel nice, Granger," he said conversationally, as if they had met in the Great Hall at Hogwarts and not a place heard merely in legends, with hundreds of curses flying about, some dangerously close to them.

"Feel nice?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I guess you're not really my little mudblood anymore - you do realize that the - _infusion _of the more superior bloods has ridden you from the filth from your... parents," sneered Draco, still speaking conversationally, his magic eyes rolling about in their sockets.

"Too bad an infusion of blood can't rid _you _of your filth," retorted Hermione. "You'd have to remove all of your blood to do so."

"Oh, touché."

Hermione now turned the conversation more serious, as she had a very nasty feeling of foreboding creeping up against her.

"We have a score to settle, Malfoy," she said in a cool tone, a trait she had picked up in her time as a part-Veela.

"Do we, Granger?"

His voice turned hard.

"Yes, we do. Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Then settle it," he said, ignoring Hermione's last comment.

Malfoy moved into the standard dueling position.

She moved into a 'quick dodge' stance, something she had picked up from watching Harry.

"I'm not counting down against the Death Eater that shoots on two," said Hermione skeptically.

"Code of honor," replied Draco, raising up his hand.

"What's your honor worth, a knut?"

"Well, actually less... but I digress..."

"No countdown?"

Hermione raised her eyebrow.

"Nope, Granger. Pity we couldn't have another quick shag before I have to kill you."

"Oh woe is me."

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" shouted Draco suddenly.

But Hermione was ready.

She easily rolled to her left, and jumped up.

"So much for your honor, Malfoy," snarled Hermione.

Draco laughed and reached into his pocket.

"Here, take a knut, Granger, my apologies," he said, strangely calm and collected, throwing a knut in Hermione's face.

"Reducto," she snarled, and a round hole appeared in the middle of the knut.

She tossed it back.

"Just like your honor. A big hole in it."

"Stupefy!"

"Skeleincendio!"

The spells bounced off each other and flew off in different directions.

"Mudblood," he hissed.

"The word you're looking for is part-veela, unless what you told me was wrong," said Hermione with a smirk.

"AVADA KE-"

"TRANSFIGURO FERRET!" Hermione bellowed out of a strange reflex, and in a loud crack, a silvery ferret appeared where Malfoy had stood a few seconds ago.

Hermione laughed aloud.

"Ah the memories," she said to the ferret. "Goodbye, Malfoy."

The ferret started twittering like mad, attempting to flee.

"Accio Ferret."

The ferret zoomed back dejectedly.

"Obliviate," said Hermione coldly, and Draco remembered no more.

"It's been awhile, Potter," spat Lord Voldemort.

Harry's scar flared up with pain, but he managed to completely block it out this time.

_There will be another time for pain_, he told himself.

"Not long enough," said Harry, staring his nemesis in the eye.

Voldemort, however, continued as if no interruption had taken place.

"Tell me, Potter... how _have _you managed to escape me again and again, even after your mudblood mother's protection wore off?"

"Don't call my mother a mudblood."

Voldemort laughed, a high-pitched, mirthless laugh that chilled Harry's very bones.

"You tell _me _what to do, Potter?"

He laughed again.

The sound was as horrible to Harry as a person dragging their fingernails down a blackboard.

"Why not? After all, my blood's purer than yours," Harry snarled, using Voldemort's own obsessions against him.

"How DARE you?" whispered Voldemort. "Question the sacred blood of the Slytherin line? CRUCIO!"

Fortuna bounced the beam of light away, and Voldemort glared at the mysticat.

"Potter, I have not brought you here so your cat could save you time and again."

"I'm not running this time," said Harry.

"You don't have a choice!" shrieked Voldemort. "Anti-apparition fields, anti-portkey charms, and all the wards you could find in a thousand tomes of ancient spells have been activated as soon as you appeared through the Summit."

"So you've trapped yourself in," said Harry, sounding more confident than he felt.

"Your insolence amuses me. Perhaps I'll allow you to live a few more minutes longer this way," Voldemort said, recovering his cool.

The mood took a serious turn as Harry locked eyes with Lord Voldemort.

Harry could feel a strong, warm feeling rush through his veins, just like the phoenix song.

"This ends tonight."

Voldemort smiled wickedly.

"Yes it does, Potter... yes it does."

At the Summit, winds were blowing ferociously, biting the skin of those left alive.

"Ron!" a girl's voice could be heard sobbing.

A boy was lying on the floor, limp and helpless, crying out with pain with a throat that was too dry to make a sound.

"Leave me..." said Ron.

Ginny felt tears come to her eyes.

"No, Ron!"

"Go... we need every person we can get... there's nothing more you can do for me, Gin."

"I'm going to take you back, Ron... you're going to be okay..."

"No!" snapped Ron, gathering up the last of his energy.

Ginny flinched at the hardness of her brother's voice.

"Go... we can't lose this fight," he said, and he fell to the floor.

Sobbing, a red-headed girl bent over her brother's body.

A few seconds later, she bounded up, rage consuming her.

She ran back into the fray, her mind bent on revenge.

"Honora!" shouted Lord Voldemort in the echoing halls of the Pandemonium Fortress.

A massive cannonball of yellow light flew towards Harry.

"RONDACHE CONJU..." he started, but halfway through he realized that there would not be enough time.

Harry jumped to the side, and the ball of light smashed into the Veil, disappearing.

"PARISTRAN MAGICA!" shouted Harry.

Without saying a word, Lord Voldemort waved his wand and the beam of light disappeared.

"You realize, Potter, that you can't possibly win?"

"Trixtonia!" he bellowed.

The shockwaves hit Voldemort in the stomach, and he fell back a few paces.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The spell was poorly aimed, and Harry did not even have to move to avoid it.

"SKELEINCENDIO!" he roared.

The spell again found its target, and Lord Voldemort let out a shriek of pain.

_Finally, a spell that works!_

Much to his dismay, however, within a few seconds, his enemy had recovered.

"Tsintsuacha!" hissed Lord Voldemort, and a strange net flew towards Harry.

Not knowing what to do, he cried, "Protego!"

But it was of no use.

The net smashed into Harry, and wrapped around him like a cocoon.

Fortuna was blasted off his shoulder, and collapsed against the wall with a piteous meow.

Only then did he realize that the net was cold steel.

"Well, well, look what got caught in the mouse trap this time..." drawled Voldemort slowly and casually.

"Son of a... REDUCTO!" cried Harry.

The spell bounced right back into his leg, causing a searing pain to come through him, which he ignored. He dropped his wand in pain, and it fell out of the prison, on to the floor next to Voldemort.

"Did you really think I'd give you a _breakable _prison, Potter?" asked Voldemort, obviously very pleased with trapping his opponent so cleverly, now walking around Harry, stopping behind him.

"Is this how you win your usual fights, Riddle? Beat your opponents when they're trapped? But then, one would expect that from a person with blood like yours."

"SILENCE POTTER!"

Harry's heart was beating hard in his chest, but he knew that the only way he'd survive was to taunt Voldemort into letting him out.

"You want to win fair and square, _Lord_? Let me out and let's finish that battle."

"But why should I let you out when I've already won?"

"Unless you're scared," said Harry, cutting in with a long drawl.

Voldemort laughed.

"Very well, little mouse, let's play a little more."

With a wave of his wand, Harry tumbled out again.

Voldemort kicked the fallen wand to Harry.

"Emmendo," Harry said, pointing the wand at his own leg.

Then, standing up, he faced Lord Voldemort again.

_Time for round two._

The wind howled.

Things were changing.

Thunder roaring.

Death.

Blood.

It was the end of the path.

The beginning of the end had come.

The Summit itself glowed eerily, the very mountains trembling, wind now so strong it butchered those without cloaks, and bit at the face and eyes of the ones that did.

No more thought of battle came to any of their minds, wizards from both sides focused just on keeping themselves alive whilst rain poured down on them, and the bitter wind blew all things without roots clear off the top.

Just one stood at the very top, one Ginny Weasley, who in her rage could not be moved.

The skies were dark around her.

She trembled.

She, just as everyone else knew, great things were happening.

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

"CRUCIO!"

The spells clashed and bounced off each other yet again.

Somewhere in this surreal place, the rain from the Earthly Dimensions had come through, and was pouring into the fortress at every second.

"FLIPENDO!" shouted Harry.

"Zonareteco!"

The spell smashed into Harry, and he felt a strange force tug from inside, as if someone was trying to rip him into two pieces.

He grit his teeth as to not shout out - he would not give Lord Voldemort the pleasure.

_I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter... after all He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great..._

Flashes of his life came unbidden to his head.

The Prophecy.

Cedric's lifeless eyes staring blankly up at him.

Sirius.

His parents.

_Remus Lupin who had died saving him._

Dumbledore who had died needlessly, so he would have the power it took to defeat Voldemort.

And yet he stood here, grimacing with pain.

_Get yourself together, Potter. You owe it to them. _

Harry shut his eyes.

Lord Voldemort laughed a high pitched laugh, which turned into a pathetic moan.

As Harry opened his eyes again, Lord Voldemort saw a defiance that was rarely seen in any of his combatants - he had always managed to break them.

Every last one of them.

"IMPEDIMENTA!" cried Harry all of a sudden.

The spell served no purpose rather than to make Lord Voldemort stumble a few steps backwards, in which he took his chance.

"REDUCTO!" he roared.

"Flipendo!" yelled Voldemort, after being hit by yet another spell.

"Stellartica Lumare!"

Voldemort blinked.

Harry saw yet another chance, and just as he raised his wand, he saw it.

_Lord Voldemort is only immune to magical damage._

He suffered, as Harry could see, from physical damage, stumbling with each spell.

_But what good is it to make him stumble?_

"Crucio!"

Harry jumped aside.

"REDUCTO!" he cried.

It hit Lord Voldemort again.

"FLIPENDO!" shouted Voldemort, and Harry was blasted across the room, where he crashed against a candlestick holder, his glasses knocked away, a searing pain going up his arm.

He groaned.

Voldemort's shadow came closer.

And then he realized that his arm was impaled.

Gritting his teeth, he wrenched his arm out from the now blood-covered candlestick stand, clutching his wound.

The rain washed his blood over the floor, so that the ground beneath him was stained.

And then Harry felt it.

It was an emotion that could not be described in words.

It was similar to the trances he had received earlier, only this time he wasn't controlled at all.

He knew what he had to do.

Picking himself up off the ground, he started sprinting towards the shadow that was Lord Voldemort.

Voldemort, taken aback, did nothing to stop him.

Harry leaped into the air.

"TEMPUS REWINDO!" he yelled, his voice drowned out by the rain.

Lord Voldemort, for the first time in a long while, was at a loss.

Where had the boy gone?

He turned around, clutching his wand.

The boy was nowhere.

_How was this possible?_

Another few seconds passed.

Had he escaped again?

But no... Potter would not leave his little pet.

He was hiding somewhere.

"Come out, Potter, I had not brought you here to hide."

But he was nowhere.

"Serpensortia."

_Find him_, he hissed in Parseltongue.

The snake slithered off.

He, Lord Voldemort, was now a bit nervous.

_He cannot have left... it isn't possible._

And then he heard a roar.

Harry burst into a lion upon returning, letting out a bloodcurdling roar, still flying through the air, rain beating down upon him.

He crashed into Lord Voldemort, and with yet another roar, smashed the wand out of his hands. The wand snapped in two as it hit the ground awkwardly.

Such adrenaline he had never known was pumping through his veins.

He let out another savage roar, as he extended his massive claws and swiped at Lord Voldemort.

He let out a shriek of pain.

_YES, _the human part of Harry thought.

But the lion part of him caught fire in this heated battle, and was now fighting furiously.

Much to his surprise, however, the gashes that he had left merely seconds ago disappeared.

But in the accursed veil that had been his godfather's bane, he had at last found a solution.

Sinking his jaws into the throat of Lord Voldemort, he ran and dragged him to the Veil.

Then, as Lord Voldemort struggled to stand, he turned back into his seventeen-year-old self.

"It ends now, Riddle. Good Riddance."

And with strength no one would suspect from his lanky frame, he grabbed Lord Voldemort by the neck, lifting him up inches into the air.

He ignored the elder man's desperate kicks towards his body.

_Pain is for later. _

And with the last of his strength, he raised his wand, and yelled, "WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!"

And so raising the body of the most feared sorcerer in the world, he sent him flying into the Veil.

Then came such a destructive force unseen in the long years of magical history, as a gargantuan burst of energy was released from the Veil of Death, consuming itself and spreading to obliterate the very foundations of the ethereal Pandemonium Citadel.

And a seventeen-year-old boy clutched his now glowing white scar, drowning in pain, and Harry Potter collapsed onto the floor, and for him, in a flash of fire before his eyes, he knew no more.

At the Summit, the winds and rain died down.

"Huh?" mumbled Hermione, who had been hanging onto a large root with one hand and Ron's hand with another, she quickly dragged Ron onto a mound of dirt and raised her head to the girl standing a few meters away from her.

"It... it's stopped," whispered Ginny.

"It's stopped?"

"It's over, Hermione..."

"What's..."

And then it sunk in.

"Harry... where's Harry?" shouted Hermione.

And as if in answer, a burst of fire appeared right before her eyes, and a boy with a cat slumped on top of him landed at her feet, and a phoenix flying overhead.

"HARRY!" she shrieked.

"What? Where?" cried Ginny, running to Hermione.

"Harry!"

"Oh no... I think..." moaned Hermione, as she looked at the two bodies on the floor.

"No, Hermione!" yelled Ginny, making Hermione jump.

"HARRY! ANSWER ME!" yelled Ginny, shaking his motionless body.

"Ginny..." started Hermione, tears now sliding down her cheeks at an alarming rate.

"Harry... wake up!" she cried, now furiously slapping Harry.

"Ginny..." said Hermione again, but this time finding the strength to finish her sentence. "He's... he's gone."

"No he's not!" shouted Ginny, now moving over to feel for a pulse.

But even as she did so, her face gradually grew deadened, until she collapsed entirely, and started beating the ground with her fists, sobbing her heart away.

Sirius Black snarled as he saw a crippled form of an old man topple into his realm.

"Looks like my godson has finally done his job," he spat bitterly.

The old man jumped up.

"Stay away, fool! Don't you know who I am? I am Lord Voldemort!" he said in what was obviously meant to be an intimidating tone, but came out as a croak.

Sirius laughed a mirthless laugh.

"You don't understand, do you, _Lord_."

"Stay away!"

"No... you don't. Down here, you don't give orders. Down here, you're nothing."

The man tried to laugh, but the sound came out as a dry cough.

"Down here, I'm the boss," snarled Sirius.

Three years of indescribable suffering had hardened him, driven him to a state of psychosis, no traces of the joyful person he was as a child left in him.

"Look at yourself, Voldemort... or should I say, Riddle."

Only then did the once high and mighty Lord Voldemort realize that as he fell through the Veil, his earthly transformations were removed.

_He was human again._

"Don't... go away..." moaned the man piteously, who without a wand could no longer instill fear or command anyone, let alone this looming shadow in front of him.

"This is what I've been waiting for, Tom Riddle... I'm here to finish my godson's job. I've Seen it all."

The shadow grew and grew, a mysterious darkness engulfed the body of Tom Riddle, and as the shadow shrunk, he was no more.

Sirius Black let out a laugh of insanity, before calling on the powers picked up over three bitter long years, and turned them on himself.

As he consumed his own substantial body, his wraith-like existence, with his own bitterness, his spirit was freed at last, and Sirius Black finally returned to his long lost friends.

Harry floated through empty space.

Is this death?

It isn't so bad after all, he thought, as he glided through the strange emptiness that could not be described as air.

He swept across the skies towards a glowing white light.

He raised his hand to his eyes, to no effect - he saw that his hands were see-through.

_Am I a ghost?_

Suddenly, he felt something jerk on his stomach, and he felt himself land hard onto a bed.

And he could feel that he was completely solid.

"Wake up, Harry," called a voice.

It was all a dream, he thought dimly.

_A long dream at that._

"Just a few more minutes, Aunt Petunia..." he mumbled, and turned over.

"Why I never!"

That wasn't Aunt Petunia's voice.

He opened his eyes, and found himself face to face with another set of bright green eyes, in a face framed by dark red hair.

He gasped.

It was his mother.

_Lily Evans Potter_


	26. Chapter 26

_Twilight_

_evabanmamber13_

Chapter Twenty-Eight - The Small Things

_All the small things _

_True care, truth brings_

_I'll take one lift, you're right, best trip_

_Always, I know, you'll be at my show, watching, waiting, commiserating_

_Say it ain't so, I will not go, turn the lights off, carry me home_

_Blink 182 - All the Small Things_

"Are... are you alive?" croaked Harry in amazement.

Lily stepped away from her son.

"No, Harry. No spell can bring back the dead."

Images suddenly flashed through Harry's mind.

_"Dad... I have a month to learn to be an animagus..."_

_"A month!" _

_Training._

_Pain._

_The exhilaration of being a lion, flying through the skies._

_Slashing._

_Roaring. _

_"WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!" _

_The soft swaying of the Veil, and then the explosion._

_Fire._

_Agony._

_Scar._

"Am I _dead_?" said Harry.

Lily, much to his surprise, smiled sadly.

"Only if you want to be, Harry."

"What do you mean?"

"It means, Harry, you've been granted a choice."

Dumbledore.

"Professor! It's so good to see you!" cried Harry, and sprung off his comfortable, soft bed, anxious to speak more with the wizard.

Harry stopped about a foot away from Dumbledore.

"Why did you do it?" whispered Harry suddenly.

Dumbledore looked into his eyes, twinkling blue meeting tired green.

"Because you were the Prophesized One, if you'll pardon my words," said Dumbledore, letting out a hearty laugh. "You were the only one to defeat Lord Voldemort... no one else's spells had even a meager effect on him... not even my own. My sacrifice was to buy you the strength you needed to get to him. But let's not speak of this now, there are some people that want to see you..."

"Harry," said a male voice Harry remembered from his month training as an Animagus.

His dad.

"Dad."

"You've done well, Harry."

Harry couldn't help but smile.

"Hello, Harry," came another voice, fringed with joy.

"Remus!" cried Harry with delight, running to the man who he had gotten to know so much better in his sixth year. "I never got a chance... to thank you... for doing that..."

Remus' face also went somber.

"Let's not speak of that here, Harry. You're in a better place now."

"But where am I?" asked Harry, but before anyone else could interrupt, yet another person came into his room.

"Hey, Harry," smiled Sirius sheepishly.

"SIRIUS!" he cried out yet again, and ran towards his godfather, giving him a hard hug.

"I'm sorry I let you down, Harry."

"You didn't Sirius... I... it was my fault... I'm so sorry..." started Harry. "I never should've been that thick..."

Sirius held up a hand.

"Don't mention it, Harry. You're here with us now."

Harry's stomach suddenly dropped, despite seeing the ones he loved in front of him.

"So... I'm really dead..."

"Yes, and no, Harry," cut in Dumbledore.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been granted a choice," said Dumbledore again.

"What choice?" asked Harry, not daring to hope.

"As you rendered an extraordinary service to the Light, the Gods have decided to offer you an option, whether to stay with us in the Heavens, or to return to the Earthly Existence."

Everyone stared intently on Harry.

"What? You can't just make me..."

"This is beyond my control, Harry... here we are all equals, none of us which have the strength to comprehend, let alone defeat the Godly powers."

He stared at his mother and father, whom he never really got to know in his real life.

He stared at Dumbledore, his mentor, the person who had sacrificed so much to help him.

He turned to Remus, his friend, his source of comfort and adult care besides from Molly Weasley after Sirius had passed away.

And last he turned to Sirius.

He saw the hopeful gleam in Sirius' eyes, and he couldn't help but wonder whether it would be worth it or not to stay here and leave his pain and sorrow behind.

"I..."

The whole room leaned in closer to Harry.

"I can't decide," said Harry softly.

"Take your time, Harry," said Lily, patting Harry's arm and smiling in the sad way she had done when he asked if he was dead.

One by one, they filed out of the room.

Harry, exhausted, fell promptly asleep.

Upon waking, he saw his mother and father sitting next to him on chairs, whispering quietly, but stopping as soon as they saw he was awake.

"I can't decide," whispered Harry. "I don't know what I want..."

"You will, Harry... you just need a little help."

"What do you mean?"

"Come on... we'll take you to the Room of Seeing."

Harry, despite everything, couldn't help but snort.

"You mean like Divination?"

"No, none of that garbage, this stuff is real," said James.

Harry rolled out of bed, finding himself fully dressed, and followed after his parents.

They walked along beautiful, gleaming white halls, sunlight shining down on them, and doves flying overhead. Lily had locked his arm in hers, and led him down a small corridor, which had a dead end where a door stood, engraved with many runes and symbols.

"What is this?"

"This is the Room of Seeing. You must go through alone."

"Er... okay..." said Harry, and nervously, he stretched his hand to the doorknob, and opened the door.

He walked into the dim halls, and in the center was an altar.

Slowly, he made his way there.

As he looked down towards the altar, a voice made him jump.

"Hello, Harry Potter. My name is Erised. What can I assist you with?"

Harry thought for a second - he didn't really know what he was here for, other than it was to help him make a choice.

"I need to make a decision, I need to see what I really want in my heart."

The man called Erised stopped and stroked his beard.

"I don't usually allow it, but I believe I will allow you a glimpse into the Seeing Goblet, and also a glimpse of the Mirror."

Harry didn't no how to respond, so he just nodded and said, "Thank you kindly."

"Step up next to the altar and kneel," instructed Erised.

Harry did as he was told, feeling rather nervous.

Erised walked over to him and placed a goblet in front of his face.

"Look deeply into the goblet, and it will show you what you wish to see in the Earthly Realm."

Harry, now feeling self-conscious and foolish, looked into the Goblet.

He nearly blacked out at the sight.

_"Why Harry... why did you leave me?" sobbed Ginny, clutching onto a body. _

_"Ginny..."_

_"Harry... please come back... please come back to me..."_

_"Ginny we have to go... The Order... everyone's leaving..."_

_"I love you, Harry... why did you have to go? COME BACK! I COMMAND YOU! COME BACK!"_

_"GINNY! We need to get Ron to St. Mungo's... there's nothing more you can do for Harry..."_

_But Ginny made no response, sobbing, hugging and kissing a limp, lifeless body._

_His body._

"No!" Harry yelled.

"Calm yourself, Harry Potter."

"I... Ginny... but..."

Harry felt like screaming, but the eerie man's mere presence calmed him.

"Take a look into the Mirror."

Harry reluctantly stood, and before him a mirror was placed.

"Erised... Erised... this is the mirror!" he said, remembering something. "The Mirror of Erised... I found it in my first year at Hogwarts... it..."

"Shows you your heart's innermost desires," said both of them at once.

"Look into the mirror," said Erised again.

Harry moved himself into the center, having a faint idea of what he was going to see.

First he saw just himself, and then it a petite redhead appeared next to him, smiling, her arm around his waist.

He patted his own waist unconsciously, forgetting that it was just an image.

On his other side, a tall redhead had his arm around a smaller girl, a bushy-haired girl with brown eyes and large front teeth.

Behind him then appeared his family - or what he considered as his family - his mother, his father, Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Fred and George, and Percy even.

On top of his head was a small kitten.

"This doesn't answer my question, Erised," he said softly.

And even as he said so, the shapes behind him waved and disappeared, until it was just himself, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Fortuna in the mirror.

Fortuna was next to go, disappearing into thin air.

Harry absentmindedly patted his messy hair.

Ron and Hermione smiled back at him, and slowly, slower than the others, they too faded away.

And all that was left was Ginny.

And even there, as he looked into those bright brown eyes, the flaming hair set on her shoulders, in the very realm of Heaven, Harry Potter knew what his choice had to be.

"I have to go back," said Harry to the room filled with his loved ones.

There was no response, besides for Lily hugging him tightly.

"I'm sorry," said Harry, looking around at everyone.

"No, Harry. Do not grieve, we will meet again, I'm sure," said Dumbledore, his eyes still twinkling.

Here, he seemed to be joyful.

"In all due time," said James. "You have a life to live, Harry. You have earned it."

"It's all thanks to you," he said, addressing the entire room. Every person had, in his or her own way contributed.

"Goodbye, Harry," said Dumbledore, extending his hand.

Harry grabbed it, and also pulled the old man into a hug.

"Goodbye, Professor Dumbledore," said Harry. "Thank you... for everything you've done for me."

Dumbledore nodded, and he swept out of the room.

Remus Lupin stepped up next.

"Harry. You've come a long way from the boy who was down on not being able to go to Hogsmeade once," he said with a smile, nodding at Harry.

Harry pulled him into a hug too.

"Goodbye, Remus."

"Goodbye, Harry."

And with a slight sniff, Remus Lupin exited.

Sirius shot a look at Lily and James, and sighed.

Walking up to Harry, he voluntarily pulled his godson into a hug.

"Take care of yourself, Harry," he said gruffly, trying to sound unemotional, and failing horribly. "You've made me proud, Harry. You truly are a great wizard, and a better godson than... than anyone could ever ask for. Goodbye... goodbye Harry."

He bowed his head and walked towards the exit, looking miserable.

"Sirius. Don't leave," said Lily.

He stopped dead in his tracks.

"Please Lily... I can't do it again."

"Sirius!" called Harry.

He turned around, not raising his head.

"You were a good godfather too."

Sirius raised his eyes, meeting Harry's, smiled, and then left the room.

"Mum... dad... I just realized... I don't even know _how _to get back..." started Harry, feeling rather foolish.

"Just focus on the reason why you want to, and you'll be there."

Lily and James now wrapped Harry in a hug, tears sliding down all of their faces.

"We're proud of you son... we'll always watch over you... we always have," said James, smiling at his son.

"If you ever miss us, Harry... look to the light," said Lily, now also smiling.

"We love you Harry," they said together.

"Mum... dad... I love you too."

And even as Lily Potter bent down and kissed her son one last time on the forehead, he disappeared from their realm, back to the world he left behind.

Harry awoke suddenly, wheezing, gasping for air, his throat dry.

He found himself on a white bed, and he sat up, looking around.

"Water," he said blankly.

"Oh... my... GOD!" shrieked someone right next to him.

"Water," he repeated.

"HARRY!" shrieked the girl, and he felt a pair of arms pull around his neck, strangling him. Hot tears dripped down his shirt.

It was Ginny.

"Water!" he rasped.

"Harry?" asked Ginny, looking confused all of a sudden.

"WATER!" he yelled, and immediately regretted it. His throat, already burning, just hurt more.

"Something's wrong with me... I think I need to lie down... HERMIONE!" called Ginny, feeling for something to sit on.

Harry sprung up, and he walked to a sink he spotted across the room, and placing his head underneath the tap, he drank deeply.

Ginny fainted.

It was just then that Harry realized that he was no longer in the Pandemonium Citadel, where he should've been.

"Where am I?" he wondered aloud, walking over to Ginny.

"Who are you?" snarled a voice behind him.

Hermione.

"I'm Harry, don't you recognize..."

"You died, Harry," said Hermione softly.

"And I'm alive again."

"You're either some idiot Death Eater, dumber _beyond_ imagination, or I'm insane."

"Well, I've always wondered what was up with all the studying..."

"Harry?" she gasped incredulously.

"Miracles happen."

"But... how... but..."

"Don't faint on me now, Hermione," said Harry, fighting back a grin.

"Is it really you, Harry?"

"Yes, Hermione. It's really me," smiled Harry.

"You'd think I'd get used to miracles happening now, spending seven years with Harry Potter."

"Aren't you?" asked Harry.

Hermione fainted.

It was two weeks later when Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny found themselves back at Hogwarts, freshly out of St. Mungo's Hospital, where they had spent two weeks discussing and sharing stories of what had happened on the Summit, and what happened after Harry's battle with Lord Voldemort.

Much to Harry's relief, his best friends had escaped alive, and with no lasting injuries, besides for Ron, whose doctor warned him a hard hit to the chest, perhaps by a bludger would shatter his ribcage again. Neville and Luna escaped with just a few scrapes, and in Luna's case, a concussion, Hermione remained untouched besides for the cuts and scrapes from the trek upwards, and Ginny the same.

Hermione had handed the cure over to Snape upon arriving at St. Mungo's, and Harry heard that muggles were on the verge of recovery, and the muggle-born were already completely freed of the plague. The dark floods, a product of Voldemort's wizardry, died with him, and the world was slowly recovering, despite the aids of magic, repairs took a long time.

Death Eaters had either fled or surrendered, immediately realizing the fall of their Master as the Dark Marks on their arms ceased to burn, and as the Ministry Aurors, surprisingly under a new Minister, had rounded up all of those who surrendered after the Order had chased them down the Himalayas, where Tonks had managed to call the Aurors and inform them of their location, and they were now held temporarily in the Dungeons of the Ministry of Magic, until Azkaban could be fully reclaimed, and new prisoner guards established. Dementors found lurking were treated to no mercy, their treason was enough to warrant them death. Harry suspected that there weren't any more Dementors left in Great Britain anymore.

Meanwhile, although Harry hadn't personally read anything himself, the press was now publishing a "Harry Potter" section on the Daily Prophet, new biographies were released by the hour (how they managed to get all the information down in so short a time Harry would never know), on the wireless there was a Harry Potter show, where witches would call and tell the hostess just what they loved about him.

It was all very out of hand, and Harry was finding it harder and harder to block it all out.

Lucius Malfoy's corpse was never found, and this worried Harry greatly - Death Eaters still walking free was a menace to the wizarding world. He had laughed about Hermione's battle with Draco Malfoy, and Hermione placing the transfiguring spell that only she could undo on him, then wiping his memories. Ron did a very accurate imitation of a wheezing tomato when he had heard, and a strict nurse that attended to the three of them snapped at him, and made him take another dose of Skele-Gro.

Harry had then heard confidentially from Snape that the new minister for magic, a person by the name of Tanner, was secretly negotiating with the muggle world about the confidentiality of the wizarding world - Snape had told Harry that the majority of the muggle leadership had already agreed for a mass memory modifying, so that the two world could live in harmony. Personally, Harry didn't see how the entire world of people could be memory charmed, but thankfully, it was not his problem to worry about anymore.

Hogwarts, as McGonagall had informed them, was being turned back into a school, and they were preparing to welcome back students in a few weeks to continue their studies. In fact, many of the students who had actively helped in the War were already at Hogwarts.

All would've been perfect for Harry had it not been for Ginny. She had stormed into his room one morning, kissed him passionately, and then much to his surprise, slapped him hard on the face and stormed right out again saying, "I'll never forgive you, Harry!"

He had tried to laugh about it with Ron and Hermione, who assured him that Ginny was just over-reacting, and she'd be better in no time, but it didn't look like she'd be getting over anything anytime soon. Ginny shied away from Ron, Hermione, and Harry upon arrival at Hogwarts, spending time with her parents, Bill, and Charlie.

Harry had not told his friends everything about his brief lodging in the Heavens - he found that almost a day had passed since his body was found, dropped by Fawkes the Phoenix.

Fortuna, on the other hand, seemed to go through the same miracle as Harry - Dumbledore had been right, the mysticat truly was tied to his own fate.

Right now, Harry was left alone on the Quidditch field, Ron and Hermione in Hogsmeade with Ginny, who had 'kindly asked for Harry not to come'.

But Harry didn't mind.

His friends leaving him alone would give him some time to reflect.

He summoned his Firebolt, boarded, and flew up, high into the skies.

This was where he truly felt powerful, despite whatever people see of him on the ground. Whereas Hogwarts now felt somewhat changed, since the last battle, and the trek up the Summit, the skies did not.

The air was his domain.

Harry dived furiously towards the ground, pulling out at the last second.

_"Very well, little mouse, let's play a little more."_

_"Stellartica Lumare!" _

_"TEMPUS REWINDO!" _

_The lion inside his soul, just waiting to be called upon._

Harry did another dive, sheer exhilaration in his veins as the tremendous feeling of wind rushing against his face took him.

_"This is the end, Riddle. Good riddance."_

_Pain is for later._

He had indeed lay in pain in the dim room in St. Mungo's, the nurses telling him that he had broken seven bones, ripped four muscles, and suffered from internal bleeding almost everywhere in his body.

Harry had actually been scared, but then learnt from Hermione that internal bleeding was just another way for saying bruises.

He spiraled upwards into the sky, to the level of the clouds.

_"Hssssroar!" _

_Screams._

_"If you ever miss us, Harry... look to the light..." _

He wheeled about on his broomstick, and dived, forcing his Firebolt to its limit, and down he came like a bolt of lightning, just barely managing to swerve away from the ground.

His thoughts were jumbled, his mind absolutely full.

He now fully realized what Dumbledore had meant when he first found Harry over the Pensieve in his office.

Remembering the palm-sized pensieve his father had gave him, he landed down on the floor and began walking up to the castle, intent on placing some memories in before going to dinner.

"Hey, Harry," said a voice.

"Hey, Parvati..."

"Remember in our sixth year when you said..."

He had indeed.

_"Parvati... I think we should take a break..." started Harry awkwardly._

_"Hmm... yes..." sighed Parvati._

_"No... not that kind of break... a break from us - Harry and Parvati... I think we should just be friends..."_

_Parvati looked shocked._

_"Why?" she said, frowning._

_"Look... with Lord Voldemort..."_

_Parvati flinched._

_"See? You can't even hear his name without being scared... if you're with me, he'll come after you... it's only a matter of time before he comes after me again... I can't bear to be responsible for anyone I know and like... that is... love to get hurt... goodbye, Parvati," Harry said, and started walking away._

_"What about after... when You-Know-Who is defeated?" sniffed Parvati._

_"If I'm alive, we'll give it another try then, shall we?"_

_"Harry... just one last kiss... please..." said Parvati, tears now sliding gently down her cheeks._

_"We'll save that for the victory day too, Parvati."_

_He left a gently crying Parvati sitting on the couch._

So much had changed since then. For starters, there was Ginny.

And Ginny, in herself, was already more than enough reason.

"I'm sorry, Parvati."

"But, Harry..."

"No, Parvati... I'm... I'm with Ginny now."

Then, before he knew it, Parvati had grabbed him into an embrace, pulling his face down to hers, and pulling him into a fiery kiss.

"Parva..." he started.

But it was too late, she had already begun the kiss, and slid her tongue into his mouth, and slowly, Harry felt his hormones start to get the better of him.

He broke away, whether to gasp for air or to stop the kiss he no longer knew.

"Parvati... I don't love you anymore... I don't... I'm with Ginny now... don't do that again..." he gasped. "We're nothing now, Parvati. It's over."

Parvati's eyes flickered downwards. "Looks like not all of you agrees."

She pulled him closer but this time he resisted.

"No, Parvati," he said, this time his eyes serious. "I love Ginny, Parvati... we're over."

And before she could respond, Harry grabbed his fallen broomstick, and flew up to the castle, not looking back.

Harry walked down, feeling reasonably cheerful after placing his Firebolt back into his trunk, down to the Great Hall for dinner, dimly thinking about having some mashed potatoes and ham, when a fist suddenly rammed into his stomach caused a slight diversion.

He was stunned for just a second before recovering his wits. Whipping out his wand and cried, "FLIPENDO!"

Ron was blasted away from him, crashing against a wall.

"Ron?" asked Harry.

"You... BASTARD!" bellowed Ron, and ran at Harry again.

"IMPEDIMENTA!" cried Harry, frightfully afraid that Ron was under the imperius curse. "What's wrong with you?"

"You... snogged... Parvati... you're... going... out... with... my... little... SISTER!" he yelled, and miraculously, Harry's spell was broken and Ron ran at him again.

Harry grabbed Ron's fists.

Ron kicked him in the shins.

"Look Ron... come... I'll explain it all..."

"Explain what?" said a cold voice.

_Damn, people do seem to have a knack for running into me when I don't want them there don't they?_

It was Ginny, and next to her a very worried looking Hermione.

"Gin," began Harry.

"Don't call me Gin."

"Who said I was talking to you? I was about to say 'ginger beer' when you just cut in!" snapped Harry.

Lately, Ginny had rather annoyed him with her behavior, and he didn't feel she deserved any patience just then. It's not like he actually did anything - Ron had told him she just didn't feel like speaking to him.

What he had done to warrant such treatment he didn't know.

Women! Crazy, that's what they are, he had thought angrily.

If it hadn't been for the Mirror of Erised showing him that what he really wanted in life was Ginny, he probably wouldn't have graced her with a reply.

Ron, despite being angry with Harry at that moment, chortled.

Ginny glared at Harry with an strange expression of mixed something Harry couldn't quite place, and a strong dose of hate, looking rather comical, and walked away, purposely at a very slow pace, making Harry's eyes follow her all the way until she took a turn, and the bright red hair disappeared.

"Look, Harry. I'll talk to her tonight, okay?" said Hermione sadly, and she quickly followed Ginny.

He sighed.

"C'mon, Ron," he said, pulling his friend up. "I'll tell you what you missed in your snog-fests with Hermione last year..."

"We were on prefect..."

"Yeah whatever," said Harry, and beckoned to Ron to follow to the Marauder's Room.

"That _slut_!" said Ron angrily.

"Relax. Nothing happened. That's how Parvati plays - she's Queen of Passion and Gobstones, remember what Dean said?"

"And she _knows _you're seeing Ginny..."

"Relax, Ron. It's what I said in sixth year... when I actually liked her..."

"Still..."

Harry interrupted.

Fred and George had once said it was better to cut off Mrs. Weasley before she builds up a head of steam and continues for hours.

Harry had found it works with all Weasleys.

"Chess, Ron?"

"Nah, dinner first."

"And then?"

"Then you get reminded what losing feels like."

Harry smiled.

Things would never be quite the same, he thought, but right now, as he saw the twinkling light of challenge in his best friend's eyes, if things indeed couldn't ever go back, than this is how he'd want it to be.

Just the small things in life, things we notice and never really thought about...

Ron's obsession with chess and quidditch.

Hermione's obsession with books and learning.

And Ginny... everything from her shining eyes to her caring but fiery personality, Harry took in and loved.

"Don't worry, Weasley. I know plenty about losing."

Ron looked slightly taken aback for a second, but seeing Harry's smile, he returned it.

"Now c'mon, let's go get some potatoes before Ginny eats it all," said Ron. "That girl does eat a lot when she's in a foul mood..."

Harry laughed.

"Last one to the hall's a flea-bitten Kneazle!" he said in a sing-song voice.

And laughing joyfully, the Boy-who-Lived, conqueror of Lord Voldemort, hero of the world at large, ran out of the portrait hole, and sprinted down the halls, a tall redhead following in his footsteps


	27. Chapter 27

_Twilight_

_evabanmamber13_

_A/N: the next chapter is the very last chapter and i know your just going to love the ending so i'm thinking of making you wait for but then again maybe i won't i guess you will just have to wait and see._

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Back to Normalcy

It was a warm July morning, and Harry was sitting at the Gryffindor table, eating a piece of toast with a large goblet of pumpkin juice next to him.

McGonagall had informed the students they could either finish their disrupted studies over the summer holidays, or they could wait until next year and retake the whole year of study again.

About a quarter of the students chose to finish their studies over the holidays, most of them being seventh, sixth, and fifth year students, including Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

Recently there had been a memorial service in which hundreds of witches and wizards had turned up for - in honor of those who had fallen in the second War. In truth, however, although the war was over, the threat of the Death Eaters surely wasn't. Half the Death Eaters were unaccounted for and were being searched for by the Ministry aurors.

Harry was glad that he didn't need to join the fight - he felt he had deserved a rest at last, selfish as it may sound.

On this particular morning, however, Harry was fed up, despite it being the day of an Awards Ceremony, and a special celebration Quidditch match at Hogwarts - between the other schools of Europe, mainly featuring students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. This Quidditch match featured the best students from all of the school, and it was with a purpose of celebrating the victory of the Second War and to honor the bonds of friendship between the countries. Many witches and wizards were to come, Harry had seen Professor Flitwick enlarging the stands and adding more seats to them. Harry would've been nervous a couple of years back, but conquering the most evil wizard in the universe kind of had a strange effect on you.

Ginny had been, very noticeably, purposely avoiding him in the halls, taking long cuts to avoid seeing him, and when they did collide paths, she determinedly looked the other direction.

At breakfast, Harry cornered Ginny.

"Gin. I need to talk to you."

This time, there was no comment like 'don't call me Gin', but rather a nervous glance towards Ron, who shrugged apologetically as if to say 'sorry, Harry's got a point, he should be able to talk to you', and Ginny, looking slightly deflated, got up and followed Harry.

"Look Gin... please. Ron and Hermione won't tell me what's wrong, and I just can't stand us being like this. Please, what did I do this time?"

Ginny said shortly, "Nothing."

As Ginny turned away, Harry grasped her shoulder roughly, and her jumper slid to the side, holding Ginny back.

Ginny made an angry face, and Harry quickly said, "Sorry Gin... but if it's nothing... why are you... why are _we _like this?"

At last, defeated, Ginny looked into Harry's eyes.

She looked rather like a lost little child then, and it was all Harry could do to stop himself from hugging her tightly then.

"You want to know?"

"I wouldn't ask otherwise."

"Fine. Meet me down in the common room at midnight. Bring your invisibility cloak... or get the one you gave Hermione."

And leaving Harry wondering, Ginny scampered away.

"Potter! Potter!" hollered McGonagall from the staff table.

Wondering what he could've possibly down now, he walked up to the table.

"Yes, Professor?"

"I've been trying to give you some time... some time off... from your letters... but I think it's time you start either burning them or reading them, the Room of Requirement is _full _of them..."

"Er... okay, Professor, I'll get started on it now."

"And Potter... if you aren't too busy tonight come to my office... we have a serious matter we need to discuss."

Harry nodded and walked out of the Great Hall.

Speculating what people would write to him about, and what McGonagall wanted at night, he walked alone to the Room of Requirement, waving to a few people along the way, including a very embarrassed looking Parvati Patil. Harry didn't think that girl had _ever _known flat out rejection before - she did seem to get used to having things her way.

As he walked absentmindedly into the Room of Requirement, he gasped.

On a large table in the center of the table were three crates.

Not small shoebox-like crates either.

Crates the size of a bathtub.

"Damn," said Harry softly. "I'm going to need reinforcements for this."

"Hey look, Harry... another marriage proposal!" cried Dean, who was helping Harry open his fan mail along with almost all of the Gryffindor seventh years.

"Nope... this one doesn't believe you vanquished him... he says its all propaganda and a conspiracy by the Ministry to cover up that they made a deal with You-Know... Voldemort," said Ron firmly. "What a load of rubbish!"

"You reckon that person knows Luna?" said Seamus with a wink, receiving a scowl from Neville.

Hermione gasped.

"What?" asked Ron, looking up from his pile of ripped envelopes.

"Dear Mr. Potter, how goes your love triangle with Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley? I could offer some help with that... I hear Ron is pretty damn..."

"PLEASE don't finish that letter," said Harry, looking sick.

Harry picked up the next letter, one Hedwig had just dropped in.

"Dear Mr. Potter," he read. "Where _are _you and Mr. Weasley, the match starts now!"

Harry yelped.

"RON!"

"What, Harry?"

"THE MATCH!"

Ron in turn yelped, and they ran out of the room, leaving a stunned crowd of seventh year Gryffindors hanging inside the room.

"What are you waiting for?" yelled Seamus.

As if on cue, the rest of the Gryffindors piled out of the room, sprinting for the Quidditch field.

"Where were you, Potter!" gasped a frantic looking Professor McGonagall.

"Sorry... opening my fanmail..."

Ron coughed something that sounded most suspiciously like 'Lockhart'.

"Hurry up and get changed!" cried McGonagall again, throwing robes in Harry and Ron's faces.

"Er... Professor?" said Harry.

"What?"

"You're still here."

"You changed in front of Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, and Angelina Johnson for years and you never complained then!" snapped McGonagall. "I'm old enough to be your grandmother, Potter, don't think I haven't seen my fair share of..."

"Please, Professor... please don't finish that sentence," gulped Ron.

McGonagall swept out of the changing room nonetheless, and Harry and Ron quickly through on the robes.

"Accio Firebolts!" cried Harry, and the two brooms flew towards him.

Tossing Ron his broomstick, Harry ran to the rest of his team, where Ginny, Susan Bones, Ernie Macmillan, Michael Corner and Terry Boot were standing.

Harry smugly observed there were no Slytherins on the Hogwarts team.

"Alright men," he said, gasping.

Ginny cleared her throat.

"Yeah, as I was saying," continued Harry.

This time, Susan cleared her throat.

"Oh right... and women," he added, rolling his eyes.

"This is it?" asked Ron.

"The big one?" asked Ginny, giggling.

Harry paused for just a second, smiling at her.

"The one we've all been waiting for."

"Hey that's copyright Wood material!" cried Ron.

"Okay, okay... let's just go out there and show them why Hogwarts is the best!"

"FOR HOGWARTS!" shouted the team.

"And I present to you our very own HOGWARTS ALL-STAR TEAM!" yelled Dean's voice, magically amplified.

Harry smirked. Apparently they had managed to get down here in time after all.

They did not fly out together, but entered one by one, as was the 'special entry' McGonagall had planned.

"CHASER VIRGINIA WEASLEY!" cried Dean, and Ginny, with a nervous little smile on her face, zoomed out above the field to loud applause from the Hogwarts students, and a vast majority of the visitors.

"CHASER ERNIE MACMILLAN!"

Ernie zoomed out.

Ron began jumping up and down nervously.

"CHASER SUSAN BONES!"

Susan flew out, to more applause.

"BEATER MICHAEL CORNER!"

Michael followed suit, to slightly less applause from the Hogwarts crowd, to Harry's surprise.

"BEATER TERRY BOOT!"

The applause went up again, as Terry nervously flew up to join his teammates.

"KEEPER RON WEASLEY!"

Ron, his face white, flew out after Terry, leaving Harry feeling slightly nervous.

"AND THE SEEKER!" started Dean.

The applause, if possible, got even louder as the foreign schools also applauded and almost all of Hogwarts, besides the Slytherins, stood and stomped their feet.

"THE CAPTAIN OF THE HOGWARTS TEAM!" roared Dean.

"THE ONE... THE ONLY... HARRY POTTER!" bellowed Dean so loud that Harry's eardrums hurt, and the tumultuous applause that followed it only made it worse.

Harry, jumping on his broomstick, flew out to the crowd, trying his best to block out the cheers and screams.

But as soon as he joined his teammates, everything felt right again, all his nervousness gone.

He was in the skies again.

"Captains shake hands!" yelled Madam Hooch.

He flew forwards to where a very pretty girl with silvery blonde hair was hovering.

She smiled and giggled, fluttering her eyelashes as she shook his hand.

"Bitch," he heard a voice behind him mutter.

"Good luck 'arry," said the girl with a heavy French accent.

"And you too," said Harry, and withdrawing his hand, he flew back to his position.

Harry observed as Hooch let out the Snitch and the bludgers, managing to keep his eye on the snitch for just a few seconds before it disappeared from sight.

"AND THE QUAFFLE IS RELEASED!" yelled Dean's voice, as Hooch raised the ball to the air with a flick of her wand.

As he heard Hooch's whistle signaling the start of the game, he hurled away, up to the skies.

The blonde girl, captain of the 'International Team', tailed him.

Harry now flew up high, surveying the pitch for a glint of gold, the blonde girl about fifty feet below him.

Watching the game below him, he whooped aloud as he saw Ron pull off yet another brilliant save, sending the Quaffle flying back halfway across the pitch straight into Ginny's hands.

As Ginny sped towards the goalpost, the international team began to crowd her.

In alarm, Harry dived down for Ginny, causing the other team's seeker to zoom down after him.

But Ginny didn't need his help.

Spiraling upwards in a move he himself had taught her in his sixth year, she dodged them all, and with a clever feint threw the Quaffle like a fireball into the hoop for ten points.

Harry then realized that he shouldn't have been down at playing level at all.

Immediately correcting his mistake, he went back up to the skies just as the blonde girl dived down.

With a yelp, he zoomed after her, only to watch her swerve away from the ground at the last second.

"Damn," Harry muttered.

The blonde girl winked at him seductively - or at least as seductively as one could hovering in the air, and zoomed away across the pitch.

Harry decided that it was time to take matters into his own hands.

"OPERATION HUFFLEPUFF!" he roared.

It was the code name he had given to the strategy they had taken against Hufflepuff, using himself as a surrogate Chaser.

"And here Potter is calling a gamble..." started Dean, but as he zoomed forwards, he finally managed to block out all the commentary.

"GINNY!" he hollered.

Ginny, who had been speeding up the field merely dropped the Quaffle, and by pure momentum it landed where Harry was.

Ernie and Susan were flanking Harry and Ginny, who were going forwards like an arrow.

Tossing the ball into the air, he gave a perfect pass for Ernie, who spiked it through the left hoop.

But even as cheers erupted, Harry's heart dropped.

The blonde girl was streaking down, halfway across the pitch.

Full of determination, Harry pushed his broom to the limit as he streaked down the pitch faster than any in the crowd had ever seen before, save perhaps from Viktor Krum.

The blonde girl had her arm outstretched...

"FASTER!" he yelled at his broom.

He could see the Snitch now, but the girl was still closer.

"NOW!" he roared, and with the momentum of his broomstick favoring his movement, he leaped off, kicking off the handle, propelling himself forwards at a blindingly fast speed, and as he jumped for the fluttering Golden Snitch, small petite hands blocked his way.

Out of pure luck, he, with his feet, managed to kick the Snitch away from the girl's grasp, only to fall to the floor himself, with a loud crack in his shoulders.

"HARRY!" hollered his team, every one of them flying to him.

"GO!" he roared, grimacing in pain. "Win this one for Hogwarts!"

"ACCIO BROOMSTICK!"

As his faithful Firebolt came towards him again, he mounted, with a cracked ribcage and a mangled left arm, and rejoined the fray.

"And Captain Potter returns!" roared Dean.

"Timeout!" hollered Ron.

"NO!" yelled Harry, who had just seen it.

The fluttering, speck of gold amidst a fiery mane of red.

The Snitch was in Ginny's hair.

Flying towards Ginny discreetly, as to not attract attention from the rival seeker, he increased his pace.

As he extended his hand for the golden Snitch in Ginny's hair, she yelped and tried to fly away, the snitch with her, but Harry had soon caught up with her.

Sweeping his fingers gently through her silky hair, Harry nearly forgot for a moment just why he was there, and almost _where _'there' was.

But as the seconds passed, Harry gently swept the Golden Snitch out of her fiery mane of hair, and with a broad grin on his face, he bellowed, "I'VE GOT THE SNITCH!"

The crowd exploded with its loudest roar yet, so loud that Harry could see birds flying out of the Forbidden Forest, and so loud that Harry felt his very broomstick was shaking.

And as he turned around, he caught a glimpse of Ginny's face, which held a grin almost as wide as his own, and as she flew up, wrapping her arms around him and planting a quick, chaste kiss on his lips, he realized that he got a lot more than the Golden Snitch.

The rest of his team, Ron in the lead, flew towards him, their mouths open, shouting words that no one could hear, actual _tears _in some of their eyes, and as they did a victory lap around the Quidditch field together to deafening applause.

For the first time in a long while, Harry was in bliss, and even as he landed into a field swarmed with students and visitors alike, he noticed that in one hand was still the struggling Snitch, and the other hand held tightly onto Ginny's.

However, as they left the highly charged atmosphere of the Quidditch field Harry suddenly found, much to his dismay, that Ginny had again turned away from him to Ron, and were excitedly gabbling about the match, even as they walked to the Awards Ceremony held out on the grounds, where a massive tent was erected.

The four of them had dressed up in their very best robes after a long shower and a huge feast, ready to receive awards they knew were going to be presented to them.

Harry walked into the tent with Hermione, Ron and Ginny laughing uproariously about something behind them.

The insides of the tent, Harry noticed, were obviously magical. Instead of a plain empty space, there was a massive hall, filled with seats and in the very front of the tent was a stage, where Tonks could be seen tampering with a wizarding microphone. Catching Harry's eye, she winked at him.

"C'mon, lets go get seats," said Ron.

Finding seats near the back of the hall, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny sat down and waited for the ceremony to begin.

Ten minutes later, when everyone had piled into the tent, the new minister, a tall lanky man by the name of John MacDonald - Harry was told that it was a girl that went to Hogwarts' father - stood up at the stage.

"It is with both sorrow and with joy that we gather here today, in honor of those who fought against Lord Voldemort during the second war. Firstly, we take a moment of silence for those who fell..."

The minister closed his eyes, and almost everyone in the hall followed suit.

When the moment of silence passed, the minister let out a strained smile.

"But as for now, we gather to celebrate those who are still amongst us, those who proved themselves to be extraordinary heroes... and without further ado, I give you Professor Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and our fine hostess for today's programs of Quidditch, the excellent feast you have all just enjoyed, and now the Awards Ceremony."

The minister stepped aside and sat down on a seat in the front row.

"We honor Cedric Diggory, first to fall victim to Lord Voldemort..."

On and on went Professor McGonagall, going through a massive list of names and people, some of them earning small awards. Ron had just let out a loud yawn, causing several old witches to glare at him, when McGonagall announced that the Order of Merlin awards would be given by the minister himself.

"Ms. Nymphadora Tonks, Order of Merlin, third class, for combating Lord Voldemort's troops on the front line."

Tonks, her hair now strawberry blonde and long enough to touch the small of her back, beamed and walked to receive her award, shaking the Minister's hand to a series of clicks and flashes from cameras.

Smiling, Tonks walked off the stage, in her hand a badge and a certificate.

Then there was about forty more people, all who were from the Order of the Phoenix, or from the Hogwarts students of Dumbledore's Army that went up to get their awards, including Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Neville, Cho, and Luna. Harry observed that Percy did not receive a reward.

"Ms. Minerva McGonagall, second class, for heading the fortress Hogwarts against the Dark forces, and also for combating on the front lines."

McGonagall stood up, a smile on her face, and accepted the award gladly, and flushed red as the minister kissed her hand.

As McGonagall came down, the minister began again.

"Mr. Severus Snape, for heading the Army that brought about the defeat of the Death Eaters at the Himalayan Mountains. I present to you, the Order of Merlin, second class."

Snape stood, not even a ghost of a smile on his face, nodded politely, taking his award, he followed McGonagall.

"Mr. Rubeus Hagrid, for rallying the giants, and now providing both communities with another chance at peace, I award you the Order of Merlin, second class."

Hagrid walked up nervously, shook the minister's hand, and pinning the little badge on his shirt, he beamed for the audience, then followed suit.

"Mr. Ronald Weasley, for extraordinary valor and skill in the Battles of Hogwarts, and the Battle of the Summit. I award you the Order of Merlin... first class."

Ron walked up, beaming so widely Harry thought mentally that if he was any happier, his face would burst.

Ron then walked off the stage, trying to get back to Harry, Ginny, and Hermione, but was ambushed by his mother, who had grabbed him and hugged him furiously, causing Ron to blush, wiggle, and struggle, whilst a tearful Mrs. Weasley could be seen saying something in his ear (Harry couldn't hear as he was halfway across the hall).

The minister cleared his throat, and Mrs. Weasley immediately went quiet, pulling Ron down next to her.

"Miss Virginia Weasley, for immense contributions to the effort of the war, both in battle and out of battle..."

Fred and George could be heard snickering.

"- I present to you the Order of Merlin, first class."

Ginny then followed Ron's footsteps, a dazzling grin on her face, as she went up to retrieve her award.

Ginny, unlike Ron, went straight to her mother, receiving hugs from her entire family.

"Miss Hermione Granger," continued the minister. "For an extraordinary exhibit of both intelligence and bravery in the face of danger countless times in the Second War, I present to you, the Order of Merlin, First Class."

Hermione, with a huge hug for Harry, nearly skipped up to the stage, where she received the award, stood for pictures (a few younger wizards in the crowd had catcalled at her), then went to her parents, who were sitting in a specially charmed booth for muggles so they could see just what exactly was going on.

"And last, but _certainly _not least, Mr. Harry Potter, for personally bringing down the hammer on the world's most feared dark wizard in centuries, for a gargantuan contribution to the War, and for an excellently played Quidditch match," said the Minister, getting whoops of approval and laughter from the audience, "I present to you, the Order of Merlin, First Class."

As Harry walked up to the stage and the minister pinned the badge onto his robes, he smiled for the cameras, and he was nearly blinded as he walked off the stage, not knowing where to go.

Hermione was waving furiously to him, and so were the Weasleys.

But he suddenly remembered Hermione's words from Christmas time.

_"I love you Harry, you're my brother, and it doesn't matter if you weren't born as my brother, or even if you consider yourself to be, you'll still be my brother, my family. You might not have your blood family with you but you have family all the same."_

He grinned to himself, not noticing he was still in the spotlight as many people still stared at him, but he waved apologetically to the Weasleys, and went to sit with Hermione and her family.

"You know, for a second there, I thought you weren't going to come," said Hermione, grinning at Harry.

"You know, for a second there, I didn't think I was either. But this is a time for family, and as far as I know now, you're it."

"As far as it is now?" asked Hermione.

"Which is as far as it'll be for a long time," sighed Harry, sitting down next to Hermione and her parents.

"That's good enough for me," grinned Hermione.

"So you want me to be the Secret Keeper?" asked Harry again.

It was late that night, and most of the visitors to Hogwarts had either taken to the rooms provided for them, or had left. Harry was in McGonagall's office with the minister, Snape, McGonagall, various muggles that Harry assumed were important due to the slight snobbishness of their voices, and at the doors, Mad-eye Moody.

"Yes Potter," said McGonagall again.

They had been discussing many things about the wizarding world and how muggles were going to take it now that they knew of its existence. Harry had heard from McGonagall that they had developed an extremely powerful spell over the past weeks to hide the magical world from all those that had no magical blood, unfortunately including squibs also, into the soul of one person - much like the Fidelius charm. The muggles would still know, in the back of their minds, about the wizarding world, but the people present in the room hoped the muggles would just dismiss it as a strange fantasy or daydream.

"Do I get a choice or anything?"

"What do you think we're giving you now," snarled Snape.

There then came a silence, in which Harry used to think whether or not he would want to keep such a secret.

"No disrespect intended, and I'm honored you chose me for this... but I don't want it," said Harry.

McGonagall nodded.

"Very well, Potter, we shall find someone else. You may leave... and remember... not a word to anyone else - save perhaps Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger."

"Yes, Professor," said Harry, leaving the room, still trying to get his mind around the spell that would be the wizarding world's protection from possible future problems with the muggles.

He walked out, passing the Great Hall, and to his alarm, he saw it was almost midnight.

Sprinting off, he ran quickly to the Head Boy dorms, and saying out the password, he jumped inside.

"Ginny! I'm sorry I'm late, I was..."

"It's okay, Harry," said Ginny in a strange voice.

"I'll get the cloak, shall I?"

"Yeah... you go do that."

"Accio Invisibilty Cloak," said Harry, pointing his wand to his dorm.

As the silvery cloak zoomed into his arms, he stared at Ginny again.

"So where are we going?"

"Where else would we go for a private chat?"

"Er... here?"

"No, Ron or Hermione might come down at any second... we're going to the Marauder's Room."


	28. Chapter 28

_Twilight_

_evabandmamber13_

Chapter Thirty - Twilight

"Look... I'm sorry," said Harry and Ginny at the same time.

"No you shouldn't be," they said again.

"Okay, you talk," they said in unison.

"This isn't going to work, is it?" muttered Ginny under her breath, flushing slightly as she realized she spoke aloud.

"Okay, Ginny... you talk, I'll listen."

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Okay Harry... the reason... okay... I'm sorry... I... I can't justify what I did, and I apologize for that. My only reason is that when... when Fawkes dropped your body on the ground at the Summit, and the winds died down... I thought... I thought you were dead... and..."

"It's okay," started Harry, but Ginny waved her hand impatiently, obviously wanting to finish.

"When I thought... when I thought you had died then... I just wanted to... my world just fell apart... I wished I was dead with you, I wished that I never failed you, failed us, by letting you leave..."

Harry remained silent, at a loss for words.

"And when you came back... it just seemed... like... everything was being pulled back into place... but it didn't seem real... and I was afraid... I was scared, Harry... scared that..."

Ginny sniffed loudly, then bowed her head, and when she continued, it was in an ashamed, soft whisper.

"I was afraid to love you again, I was afraid to chain myself to what might've lead to more pain, I was afraid that someone would take you away from me again... I was a coward, Harry... I..."

"What about now, Ginny?" asked Harry, almost shaking, a silent question burning up in his heart.

_What if she still feels the same, and she wants to break up?_

"Now?" said Ginny, laughing bitterly. "I couldn't ever stop loving you Harry, I never did, from the first time I saw you in King's Cross, and you asked my mum for instructions on how to get on to the platform... I even thought you were quite cute and lonesome then!"

She giggled, a smile lighting up her face, much to Harry's relief.

"Even in Hogwarts, after I gave up on you... I still loved you as a friend, as I got to know you... and then I fell in love all over again," she sighed.

Harry didn't know how to respond, so he just kept quiet.

"Look Harry," she started again, her voice much more serious. "I tried to get over you... I tried with all my might... but I couldn't... cause you complete me, you're like... the air I breathe, you're like my other half... please, Harry, please forgive me for doing this..."

Harry finally let a grin come over his face.

"Already done, Ginny Weasley."

As he pulled her into a tight hug, a feeling he had missed deeply in the past few weeks, he noticed again how Ginny's hair seemed to literally be alight, different colors sparkling and shining.

"You know Gin," he murmured half-consciously. "Your hair isn't the same as all of your family's."

Ginny pulled away slightly, arching an eyebrow.

"It's like... a splash of different colors, it's like... you have a bit of _blonde_ in there," said Harry, smirking. "Like Veela blonde, almost, or like... Malfoy blonde..."

Ginny pulled away entirely now.

"Are you asking for a kiss or a slap?" she said in a very false cross voice.

"I don't rather fancy a handprint on my face..." said Harry, a smile tugging on his lips.

"Would you fancy something else on your face?" said Ginny seriously, her eyes dancing with amusement, and she licked her lips.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Oh shut up," she said, starting to giggle furiously.

As Harry started to move towards Ginny, he remembered how the Shield of the Founders used to play music for the Marauders, and he thought he might as well give it a shot.

"Cintrectra," he said, a small bit of rubber flying out of his wand, and smacking the lion on the shield perfectly, and a slow tune started playing from nowhere.

_I swear that I can go on forever again  
Please let me know that my one bad day will end  
I will go down as your lover, your friend  
Give me your lips and with one kiss we begin _

Are you afraid of being alone  
Cause I am, I'm lost without you  
Are you afraid of leaving tonight  
Cause I am, I'm lost without you

I'll leave my room open till sunrise for you  
I'll keep my eyes patiently focused on you  
Where are you now I can hear footsteps I'm dreaming  
And if you will, keep me from waking to believe this

Are you afraid of being alone  
Cause I am, I'm lost without you  
Are you afraid of leaving tonight  
Cause I am, I'm lost without you

Are you afraid of being alone  
Cause I am, I'm lost without you  
Are you afraid of leaving tonight  
Cause I am, I'm lost without you  
Are you afraid of being alone  
Cause I am, I'm lost without you  
Are you afraid of leaving tonight  
Cause I am, I'm lost without you

I'm lost without you  
I'm lost without you

And as Ginny stood up with Harry and they swayed to the music, he realized how true the lyrics of a song could be, as he held Ginny in his arms and he looked down into her hair, and realized just how much she meant to him.

_I'm lost without you..._

And he knew would be without Ginny there with him.

The days passed into weeks, and the weeks turned to months, and as August had come and almost gone, graduation had come, graduation had come, the NEWTs taken and (for most) passed. As of this moment, Harry and Hermione stood on a stage conjured in the Great Hall, with the whole of the Seventh year and their families there.

"I give you Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Harry Potter, Head Girl and Head Boy for Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall, dressed up in a dark blue robe for graduation day.

The crowd cheered loudly, and Harry could distinctly hear Ron roar, "Those are my best friends up there!"

Hermione walked forwards to the microphone, Harry at her side.

He, as his custom, had not prepared for the speech at hand, and he was silently begging the gods to grant him inspiration at the last second so he didn't look like an idiot.

"My friends and family," started Hermione. "Hogwarts has been my home for seven years, seven years of inspiration, education, adventure, friendship, and... love. It is with both anticipation and remorse that we graduate today, and take our next steps into the wizarding world. I myself, as a muggle-born, have much to explore in the wizarding world as an adult, and I'm certain that even those that grew up accustomed to magic will still feel the same. But our time at Hogwarts, I shall never forget. Here I made my two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Here I learnt..."

Loud snickers went through the crowd of students, and a collective hissing came from their parents.

Hermione grinned nervously as she continued.

"Here I learnt the values of friendship and love, and it is here that I can appreciate my gift of being a magical person, and I can thank heaven that this gift was given to me, and I urge you all to never forget how lucky you are to have this gift yourselves..." she paused. "I thank you, Hogwarts, and all of her staff and students, for changing my life, much for the better."

She nudged Harry nervously, as applause went up through the crowd.

Harry, numb with fear, held the microphone up and smiled to the crowd nervously, receiving several sighs and squeals of pleasure from some girls in the crowd, both young and old, and loud snickers from Seamus, Dean, Neville, and the Weasleys.

"Er..."

Hermione grasped his hand under the booth hardly, and not at all helpfully, digging her longer than average nails into his skin.

"Ah!" he gasped, before getting control of himself.

_I can stand the Cruciatus and not Hermione pinching me?_

But suddenly, even as he stood, rooted to the floor, inspiration did indeed seem to flood through him, possibly because of Hermione impaling his skin, possibly because he didn't want to look like an idiot, or possibly because he saw Ron elbow Ginny in the crowd and whisper something in her ear.

"I may have been made Head Boy, but it was not for my intelligence or my efforts, and certainly not my fondness for rules," began Harry.

"Too right!" exclaimed McGonagall in a much too loud whisper.

She had the grace to look ashamed, as a few people laughed in the crowd, including Fred and George who let out loud, extremely fake guffaws, and bowling over Ginny who was sitting next to them in a fit of fake laughter.

Harry grimaced slightly as he continued.

"I was made Head Boy because Professor Dumbledore had faith in me. He trusted me to do the right things, to make the most of the opportunities given to me, and try to make others do the same. I believe he made me Head Boy to prepare me for things beyond life at Hogwarts, to give me a sense of responsibility and above all to show that he believed in me. I thank you, Professor Dumbldeore," he said, smiling up at the enchanted sky, not caring whether or not anyone thought he was insane.

A respective silence came over the crowd.

"Which brings me to my message to all of you," he continued when he deemed the time was right, "It isn't the just smartest, the bravest, the most hardworking, nor the most cunning that can succeed. I urge you all to remember this, and remember that you can make a difference, and you can succeed. It is your choices that make you, not your abilities, and I hope to see all of your choices will lead you well in the future, my classmates."

There was a silence in the hall still, everyone gazing intently on him, questioning whether or not his speech was over.

"I wish to thank my friends, my classmates, and my professors for helping me along the first stretch of the road that is life, for granting me support when I needed it, and wisdom over the years so that I could make the right choices when I had to. Hogwarts was the first home I really ever had, and in more ways than one, I am sure I will always think of it as a home. Thank you Hogwarts, for everything you've given me."

He stepped down from the microphone, and walked with Hermione off the stage, muttering, "Sorry for using your speech for inspiration."

"As McGonagall continued on to introduce the prefects, including Ron, Harry and Hermione took a seat near the back, a few rows behind the Grangers, who beamed back at Hermione.

"Harry?" asked Hermione suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Where are you going to live after Hogwarts?"

Harry paused, a new dread starting to come over him just seconds after the initial worry about his speech had dissipated.

"I... I never really thought about it? Probably the Burrow for a while," he said.

"And then?" pressed Hermione.

"I don't know, you?" said Harry.

"D'you want to rent a flat or something together? In London or something, after we get jobs or something... we could be roomies!" she said enthusiastically.

"Roomies?"

"Roommates, Harry. Honestly, didn't you grow up with Muggles?"

"Since when do you use slang..." started Harry, but then he stopped himself. "That's a great idea, Hermione, we can poke around for an apartment somewhere after school's over."

"Great!" grinned Hermione.

"What about Ron?" he asked.

"Ron? You can't expect a girl to move in with her boyfriend straight out of school, can you? It's moving too fast," she said in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

"What girl?" said Harry, grinning stupidly on purpose.

"Oh god, Harry!" said Hermione, exasperated.

"Hey it's Ron!" said Harry, pointing at the stage.

"Ni hao da jia! Wo jiu xiang shuo ji jiu hua..."

"Is he speaking Chinese?" squealed Lavender, doubling over in high pitched laughter.

And so he was.

"Fre-D, George! Ni men liang ge da _zei_! Wo hen si ni men! Wo zhua dao ni de shi hou wo jiu ba ni de tou ge kan diao!"

Fred and George laughed uproariously in the crowd, giving each other high-fives, beaming at what looked suspiciously like a bar of chocolate in each of their hands. Mrs. Weasley smacked them both on the head, and everyone in the crowd started laughing uproariously.

"Finite Incantatem," said McGonagall in a waspish voice, obviously not pleased with this disruption.

"STUPID GITS! I'LL CUT YOU OPEN AND STUFF YOU UNTIL YOU'RE THE SIZE OF MILICENT BULSTRODE!" roared Ron, who was in mid-rant, apparently not aware that the spell was taken off him and everyone, including a very disapproving Bulstrode family, could hear him.

A very loud, "Eh-HEM!" from McGonagall snapped Ron back to his senses.

"Er... good luck everyone, and have a nice life!" said Ron, sprinting off the stage for Harry and Hermione, his face twisted in an expression of the purest loathing, his face so red Harry was surprised steam wasn't coming out of his ears yet.

"Stupid little..." started Ron.

"Language, Ron!" snapped Hermione.

"I didn't even say anything yet!"

"You were going to!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!'

"Guys," said Harry softly, nervously looking at the stage.

"You know, you just go and assume, Hermione, I wasn't going to..."

"GUYS!" bellowed Harry.

All eyes snapped towards them, Ernie Macmillan, who was on the stage with his mouth open and his arms hanging in the air, stared at him blankly.

McGonagall looked absolutely livid at the disruption.

"Er... sorry," called Harry, feeling stupid. "Carry on!"

"Like I was saying, Hermione," started Ron.

"Not you!" he hissed.

Those two would never stop bickering, thought Harry. It just wouldn't be the same if they did.

"Okay! Okay! Line up for the whole-year photograph!" waved the bald photographer enthusiastically.

Ron groaned next to Harry. They had been standing there for the past hour and a half wearing stuffy dress robes, waiting for the others to finish their personal photographs, after completing the house photographs.

"Okay... Gryffs here, Ravens here, Huffs here, and Snakes... I mean Slytherins here," said the photographer, moving a stubby arm with every house.

Twenty minutes later, they were walking up to their common room, where they prepared for the Graduation Ball, only open for Seventh Years, and no dates from other years could be brought, much to Harry's dismay.

"Hey Ron," he said, as Ron nervously smoothed the sleeves of his dress robes, and raked his hair with his other hand.

"What?"

"I'm not going," said Harry.

"What?" repeated Ron, turning his head to look around at Harry.

"I'm going to go see Hagrid one last time before we leave."

"Oh... Hagrid!" exclaimed Ron. "How could we forget?"

"You guys go on to the ball... god knows Hermione's been looking forward to it... I'll send Hagrid your regards," said Harry. "Tell anyone that needs to know where I am."

"Sure, mate."

"Have fun," said Harry, and he, still wearing his fancy dress robes, walked down to Hagrid's hut for the last time as a student, to see his friend and teacher.

The last night had passed far too quickly for the seventh years' tastes, and before they knew it, their final moments at Hogwarts had come. Many of them had already crowded in the Great Hall, awaiting the signal from the Professors telling them that their year was over, and they could leave, but Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron were still in the Head Boy and Head Girl dorm, Harry seemingly paralyzed.

"It's the last day," he started hollowly.

"C'mon, Harry, don't worry, we can come back and visit it anytime we want..."

"This was the first home I ever had..."

"C'mon mate, we'll be late!"

"No, you guys go first... I just want a few more minutes... go..."

Ron and Hermione left the dorms, lugging their trunks behind them.

Ginny sighed, and took a seat next to Harry, cuddling up to him and wrapping her arms around his chest.

"It'll be alright Harry... Hogwarts may have been your first home, but it won't be your last..."

"I don't know if I can leave, Ginny."

"Why?"

"This was where I learnt I was more than just a punching bag for Dudley... I found out who I really was here... Hogwarts holds my roots, Gin..."

She didn't respond, just wrapped her arms around him gently and stared up into his face, her wide brown eyes thoughtful and caring.

"I... I almost wish Voldemort had never been destroyed," said Harry suddenly. "The war... life in Hogwarts... this is all I have ever known... I don't know if I'll ever be the same away from it all..."

"Don't say that, Harry..."

"It's true, isn't it, Gin? This is who I am. This is _what _I am... all I'm really good for is Defence against the Dark Arts..."

"You're not just some kind of war hero, Harry. You're so much more... You're a wonderful flyer, you're a kind, loving person, and above all, you're Harry. You're the one I love. Now come on, Harry... come with me."

Slowly, he nodded and untangled himself from Ginny, and walked to his trunk.

"We better go," said Harry. "The carriages will be leaving soon."

"Yeah... c'mon."

"Gin?"

"Yes, Harry?" she said, fumbling with her trunk.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

And turning to the dorms one last time, he nodded to himself, and levitating his trunk into the air, he opened the portrait hole and started running for the exit, Ginny beside him.

They just made it in time to reach a carriage, where Ron and Hermione were waiting, looking anxious.

"Goodbye, Hogwarts," he said solemnly, and as if on cue, the thestrals started galloping.

"Come on!" hollered Ron, in what seemed to be a second later.

Surprisingly, they had already arrived at the platform, and the students had already boarded the train, the four of them being the last ones still on the platform.

Running onto the train, they journeyed up and down the train, struggling to find a compartment, in the end settling for one already holding Luna and Neville.

Throwing down her trunk, Hermione plopped down next to Luna.

"Come on!" she cried. "We can still see it!"

Harry leapt to the window, soaking in the majestic beauty that was Hogwarts castle, which was slowly fading away, until Harry could just see a newly repaired Divination Tower, and then, as he blinked, Hogwarts disappeared behind a hill, and he could see no more.

Harry continued staring at the place where Hogwarts had been, hoping that the train would turn another corner and he could get another glimpse of it, but it became clear to him after fifteen more minutes that it would not happen.

Turning back to his friends, he joined them in a game of exploding snap, ignoring the feeling of sadness that started welling up in his soul.

"So where are you going to live now, Neville?" asked Ron, an hour later, coming back from the restroom.

"Oh, I'll still live at my Gran's for a while, until I get a job... preferably at the Ministry... Gran has this feeling, as she says, that I'm going to get a high rank one day... mind you, I did okay on my NEWTs, Great Uncle Algie's going to buy me a new broomstick..."

Ron snorted, clapping Neville on the back.

"Why, where are you going to live?" asked Neville, looking around.

"Me and Ginny are going to live at the Burrow until we grow old and have white hair," said Ron proudly.

"What he means is, Neville, we're going to live at the Burrow until we find jobs - in his case that might just be until he's old... but I still have one more year at Hogwarts..."

"And you guys?" said Neville, indicating Hermione and Harry.

"We're going to go rent a flat or something," said Hermione vaguely.

"We're?" said Ron, his attention snapping onto Hermione.

"Me and Harry," said Hermione.

"Didn't we tell you?" said Harry, frowning. "We're going to be broomies..."

"Roomies, Harry."

"But... what about me?" asked Ron, looking outraged.

"Well as you said," started Harry.

"You can't expect a girl to move in with her boyfriend right out of school, can you?" said Hermione. "It's moving far too fast."

"Girl? What girl?" said Ron.

Hermione huffed, glaring at Ron and Harry.

Ron, looking slightly disgruntled, pulled Ginny towards him, slinging his arm around in her in a brotherly fashion, and messing up her hair.

"How bout it, Gin? Let's go get a house in... Manchester or something..."

"Eww... you wiped mayonnaise all over my hair," groaned Ginny.

"Mayonnaise? I didn't have any mayonnaise today..."

"Well what else is white and slimy?" asked Ginny.

"I can think of a few things," said Harry. "And none of them are things you'd want in your hair."

Ginny suddenly grimaced.

"URGH!" she bellowed. "You sick... you... URGH!"

Slapping Ron hard on the face, she announced that she was going to run her hair under the sink until she could be sure that the white stuff was gone.

"You poor, misguided boy," said Harry, leaning back and helping himself to a pumpkin pasty.

"What? What's Ginny on about?" said Ron, clutching his face.

Hermione flushed red, giggling furiously.

Harry struggled not to join her, and ultimately failing as he broke out into laughter a few seconds later.

Neville looked just as confused as Ron, and Luna sang 'Hot Cross Buns' under her breath.

Poor Ron had no idea what had upset his sister so much, so he turned back to his sandwich and exclaimed, "Oh, there _is _mayonnaise in this!"

"Ginny! Ron! Harry! Hermione!" called the Weasleys who were waiting for the four of them at the platform - Hermione had asked her parents to allow her to stay at the Burrow for a few weeks until she and Harry would find a flat to rent.

"Hi mum!" squealed Ginny.

"Hello Mrs. Weasley," said Harry and Hermione.

"Hey Ginny!" hollered Fred and George. "How's our little winky Ginky-Gin-Ginny-Gin-Ginkiedums?"

"Swallow a brain-remover mint or something?" smirked Ginny, and smacked her brothers playfully. "You just saw me yesterday!"

"Come on now, let's get off the platform and head home now, shall we?" said Mrs. Weasley, ushering them off to the platform to where a car was parked.

"Hello all!" said Mr. Weasley enthusiastically. "Like our new car? The Ministry gave it to us as a 'reward for out contributions'..."

"Wonderful, Dad!" exclaimed Ginny, and her father hugged her happily.

"What about me, dad?" said Ron. "Wait, on second thought, never mind."

Harry caught Ginny's eye and they laughed aloud, as they got into the car and Mr. Weasley drove away, back to the Burrow.

Later on that day, after they had finished their massive 'Welcome Home' dinner, Harry and Ginny sat outside in the backyard, wordlessly staring as the sun slowly began its descent.

"It's not so bad now, is it, Harry?" said Ginny softly.

"Not bad at all," he replied, surprised at how as soon as those words came out of his mouth, he knew them to be true.

Harry thought back on the times he had spent over the past seven years, in and out of Hogwarts. His thoughts were mostly scrambled until he settled on one distinct memory in the summer before the seventh year.

"Remember last summer in Gringotts, Gin?"

"How could I forget... that huge vault..." she said, yawning widely.

"No, remember what you said to me?"

Ginny didn't reply, thinking hard, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"You said I'll live and grow up happily, I'll get married to a wonderful girl, live my life, have children, watch them live their lives, and even watch their children... I didn't believe you then."

"So you believe me now?" said Ginny softly.

"As long as you're with me, Ginny," he said, painfully aware of how corny he sounded just to express his innermost thoughts.

She smiled at him, and slid an arm around his waist.

"That'll be forever, Harry. I promise."

Another memory suddenly flashed into Harry's mind, and he sprung up suddenly, causing Ginny to jerk back, frightened.

_If you ever miss us, Harry... look to the light._

And even as he thought that, he looked to the bright skies, and as the twilight filled the skies, he could almost feel the spectral forms of his loved ones smile down upon him, and maybe it was a trick of the light, but as he started to turn away, he could see what suspiciously looked like his mother's face up in the skies smiling down at him.

"Gin! Look! Can you see?" he said, pointing, slightly unnerved.

"See what, Harry?" said Ginny, slightly cautiously.

"My... never mind, Ginny," he said, finally understanding.

_You think the dead we have loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry..._

Harry could see now that Dumbledore had been right that one day.

Not just his father, but his mother, Sirius, Remus, and even Professor Dumbledore himself would never truly leave him.

And then, for the first time in his life, he was truly complete, as he knew all his loved ones were there with him that day.

"Gin?" he said, a smile creeping up on his face.

"Mmhmm?" she murmured.

"Thanks for everything... I love you, Ginny," he said suddenly, and even as her eyes lit up with shock and delight, he bent down and kissed her softly, but with passion like he had never kissed her before, and was never going to kiss her again, until a loud voice coming from the porch broke them apart, just like during the summer.

"Ginny! Come in, mum needs your help with the pies!" hollered Percy's bossy voice.

Ginny let out a low frustrated growl.

"I better go..." she said. "I love you too, Harry."

And with her cheeks flushed and a wide grin on her face, she walked into the house.

Harry looked to her retreating form, and then turned back to the skies once more, where the sun was now almost set.

He could _see _clearer than before the spectral forms of his loved ones in the skies, even though he knew they were not really there. He could see his best friends, Hermione and Ron bickering beside a window, probably about something small as usual. He could see his pet mysticat Fortuna bounce playfully in the garden with Crookshanks, both batting at what looked suspiciously like a garden gnome. He could see Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, Percy, Bill, and Charlie at the kitchen table, poring over a large piece of parchment over the table. And he could see Mrs. Weasley and Ginny by the kitchen window, chopping up apples. As Ginny saw him outside, she smiled and waved him in.

And Harry smiled, walking back into the Burrow, to friendship, to love, to a home and to a family, the last rays of twilight shining upon him.

_The End_


End file.
